X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Cook Out 400 DFS: DraftKings, FanDuel NASCAR Daily Fantasy Lineup Picks (2025)

Ryan Blaney - NASCAR DFS Picks, Betting Picks, Daily Fantasy NASCAR

Sean Engel's NASCAR Cup Series DFS picks for the Cook Out 400. Check out his DFS sleepers and top plays on DraftKings and FanDuel for the Cook Out 400 (2025).

It's short track racing time! The NASCAR Cup Series will head to Martinsville Speedway for this week's Cook Out 400. Martinsville is a 0.526-mile short track known as the shortest of all tracks in the Cup Series. This track is nicknamed "The Paperclip" due to the track's layout and shape resembling a paperclip. There will be 400 laps for this week's race, which will be the highest yet of any Cup event this season.

Last week at Homestead, Kyle Larson went ahead and locked in his first victory of the season in the Cup Series. Larson actually went ahead and won two out of the three races last weekend, as he also won the Truck Series race. Outside of Christopher Bell, each of the four Cup winners this season has yet to win multiple races. Each of the three other winners this year, Larson, William Byron, and Josh Berry, all present viable options to win this week's race at Martinsville, but there are going to be 35 other drivers that will fight out for the victory.

Below are my NASCAR DFS lineup picks for the Cook Out 400 on DraftKings and FanDuel this week. This slate locks on 3/29/2025 at 3:00 p.m. EST. If you have further questions or want to discuss racing, you can find me on X at @SeanE247.

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 50% off using code SUMMER! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

 

DFS Lineup Picks - DraftKings, FanDuel

Once you've read this article, be sure also to check out all of our other weekly NASCAR DFS articles to help you set your optimal DFS lineups. You should also check out our NASCAR DFS lineup tools for the ultimate combination of DFS resources to help you win big, including our Lineup Optimizer, DFS Cheat Sheet, Research Station, and more.

Disclaimer: All the drivers presented as picks for this week's race are meant to be some of my top DFS recommendations of the week. They are not originally intended to fit all into one lineup.

 

Ryan Blaney

Starts 32nd - DK: $11.2K, FD: $14K

Martinsville is a tricky track for drivers to make passes for position. There are usually only a few lanes available for drivers to make moves without having to get into others. The track's short length also makes it easy for racers to fall off the lead lap if their cars aren't fast enough, meaning drivers that start from the rear, like Ryan Blaney, are usually at a sizable disadvantage.

Unlike most drivers who usually start towards the back at Martinsville, Blaney has been fantastic at the site. He is one of only two drivers in the field to place inside the top 10 at the end of every race at Martinsville since 2022, and he has never finished lower than 11th in each of the last 12 Cup events at the site. The No. 12 Ford driver also won two of the last three Cup races at Martinsville.

Blaney also looked great in practice on the longer runs, ranking first in 30 consecutive lap averages and ranking among the top 10 fastest in 15-30 consecutive lap averages. Having a car that is fast on the longer runs is crucial for success at Martinsville, and historically, Team Penske's cars have been great on longer runs in recent years.

Considering his incredibly high upside, practice speeds, and recent Martinsville history, Blaney is one of the very best overall DFS options for this week's race.

 

Chase Elliott

Starts 2nd - DK: $9.9K, FD: $12K

If any team is going to win at Martinsville, they're going to have to go through Hendrick Motorsports to do it. The four car Chevrolet team has won each of the last three spring Martinsville races with Kyle Larson (DK: $11K | FD: $13.5K) and William Byron (DK: $10.4K | FD: $13K), who are both viable DFS options this week, but Chase Elliott deserves a spotlight as well.

Elliott has one win and 12 top-10 finishes through 19 starts at Martinsville in the Cup Series. He also scored top-3 finishes and led multiple laps in the 2024 Martinsville races. Since 2022, nobody led more laps at Martinsville than Elliott and he has five top-10 finishes in six races in that span.

In practice, Elliott ranked 12th or better in all categories except for overall lap averages. He was especially proficient on the longer green flag runs, ranking ninth in 25 and 30 consecutive lap averages. Elliott also ranked as the fastest Hendrick driver in some of the longer run practice categories.

As Elliott starts in the second position, he is in the best position of any of the Hendrick drivers to dominate and lead laps early. Elliott was better in practice on the longer run than polesitter Christopher Bell and is likely to take the lead from him. With his salary being more favorable than most top-priced options, Elliott is worth rostering in all formats, but especially in tournaments this week.

 

Josh Berry

Starts 14th - DK: $8.1K, FD: $8.5K

Drivers who come from a short track racing background driving vehicles like Legends cars, modifieds, or from the CARS tour tend to excel at tracks like Martinsville. Josh Berry is a former CARS tour driver who raced in Legends cars to begin his racing career, so he has the background needed to succeed at Martinsville. 

Berry has not showcased that so far in his Cup career, with a best finish of 16th in two Cup starts at Martinsville. However, Berry did not have the best equipment of his career so far in the Cup Series until now with Wood Brothers Racing. He did showcase what he can do in the Xfinity Series with good equipment as he has one win and three top-5 finishes in six starts at Martinsville.

In practice, Berry ranked among the top 15 fastest drivers in 15-30 consecutive lap averages, ranking as high as 10th in 30 consecutive lap averages. He will also start inside the top 15 for this week's race. It will not provide as much upside as some drivers, but he is worth consideration for all DFS formats as a driver who has equipment and experience necessary to compete for a top-10 finish.

 

Did you know RotoBaller has a Premium DFS NASCAR subscriptionLike what you read today? You can show your support for Sean -- save 30% with code NEW when purchasing any NASCAR Premium Pass. Gain exclusive access to all of our expert Premium NASCAR articles, DFS tools, and Lineup Optimizer! Be sure to check out screenshots of NASCAR DFS winners and testimonials from RotoBaller readers and writers who have been winning using RotoBaller's Premium NASCAR tools.

 

Ryan Preece

Starts 21st - DK: $7.5K, FD: $8.2K

As mentioned earlier, drivers with a modified racing background tend to perform well at Martinsville, and we have another driver from that background who is a modified racing champion, Ryan Preece.

In 11 races at Martinsville in the Cup Series, Preece has seven top-20 finishes, including three of the last four, which were all scored as a driver from Stewart-Haas Racing. He led 135 laps in the spring 2023 event at the site, having the dominant car until a late pit road penalty made him unable to win.

In practice, Preece ranked 14th in overall lap averages while ranking among the top 20 fastest in the 10, 25, and 30 consecutive lap average categories. He will start in the middle of the field this week, providing solid upside.

Considering how Preece is in better equipment than past years at Martinsville and that this is one of his favorite tracks, expect him to be worth rostering for this week's race.

 

Carson Hocevar

Starts 29th - DK: $6.6K, FD: $6.5K

Carson Hocevar of Spire Motorsports is a driver who fantasy players should not overlook for this week's race at Martinsville. The No. 77 Chevrolet driver has one top-20 finish in three starts at the site in his Cup career (17th), but he did earn positive place differential in all three Cup events. In the Truck Series at Martinsville, he had three top-20 finishes while leading three times in four starts.

Although he has been mired with unfortunate circumstances and bad luck this season as crashes, equipment issues, and problems impacted him in four of the six races this season, he does have two finishes of 13th or better this season.  He also earned positive PD in the two races where he didn't have setbacks, Atlanta and COTA.

In practice, Hocevar ranked 11th or better in the 10-30 consecutive lap average categories, showcasing that he has a speedy car that will earn him positions for as long as he stays out of trouble. Hocevar has incredibly high upside from his starting position and a salary on both sites, making him easy to add to rosters in all DFS formats.

 

Cole Custer

Starts 22nd - DK: $6.3K, FD: $3.5K

One of the more favorable value options for this week's race at Martinsville is Cole Custer. Martinsville has been a solid track for the No. 41 Haas Factory team driver since the Xfinity Series. In the Xfinity Series, Custer has three top-10 finishes but has notably led in all four of his starts at the site.

In the Cup Series, Custer has three top-20 finishes with a best finish of 13th in six starts at the Virginia short track. He also earned positive PD three times in his Cup career at Martinsville.

In practice, Custer was one of the fastest of the value drivers, showcasing top-5 speeds in the 10, 20, 25, and 30 consecutive lap average categories. This means that Custer has a respectable upside with a car capable of competing for a top-10 finish.

Despite never having placed better than 21st this season through six races, Custer does have three finishes with positive PD.  This track represents one of Custer's best opportunities to score a solid finish, and fantasy players should keep him in mind for lineups this week.

 

NASCAR DFS News and Driver Outlooks

More Fantasy NASCAR Analysis



The Keys to Weekly NASCAR Success

NASCAR is back, and it's time for you to win more with RotoBaller!
Our NASCAR Premium Package for DFS and betting features several heavy hitters and proven winners.

Jordan McAbee anchors the team with his exclusive NASCAR DFS and betting picks, DFS projections and algorithm-predicted finishing order! Jordan had a 60+ unit betting profit in 2024 NASCAR, and a 25% average annual profit since 2018. He won the FSWA Racing Writer Of The Year award in 2023, and has been nominated for DFS Writer Of The Year in 2024.

Five-time NASCAR Racing Writer of the Year finalist and fantasy industry legend Scott "The King" Engel is also in the crew, bringing you his weekly strategies and lineup picks. Set your winning DFS lineups with our award-winning team. He has been nominated once again in 2024 for this award.

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Pete Crow-Armstrong

Homers Twice, Drives in Three
Brice Matthews

Joining Astros
MLB

White Sox-Guardians Postponed on Thursday
Brandon Aiyuk

Likely to Begin Season on PUP List, but Not Ruled Out for Week 1
Jameson Williams

Not in the Team's Long-Term Plans?
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Micah Parsons

Plans to be Present for Start of Training Camp
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Ikem Ekwonu

Next Up for Extension in Carolina?
Jalen Thompson

Heading into Last Year With Cardinals?
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Najee Harris

Suffers Eye Injury in Fireworks Mishap
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Alex Bregman

Will Return to Red Sox This Weekend
Chris Sale

Braves Won't Consider Trading Chris Sale
Clarke Schmidt

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery on Friday
Nick Nash

Unlikely to Make Falcons Active Roster
Lane Johnson

in No Rush To Retire
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Blake Corum

has "Gotten His Speed Back"
Jarquez Hunter

Picking Up Rams Offense Quickly
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Kirk Cousins

Feels Misled by Falcons
Bijan Robinson

Says Falcons Have "Outlandish Goals" for the Running Game
Luther Burden III

Bears Expect Luther Burden III to be Ready for Training Camp
Cole Kmet

an Unlikely Trade Piece
Tony Pollard

Titans Hope to Balance Rushing Attack With Tony Pollard, Tyjae Spears
Byron Buxton

Sitting Thursday
Quentin Johnston

Not Assured of Starting Role
Cordarrelle Patterson

on the Roster Bubble in Pittsburgh?
Shedeur Sanders

Not Assured of Roster Spot in Cleveland?
Wan'Dale Robinson

Hoping For More Downfield Opportunities
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Homers Twice on Wednesday
Mike Trout

Homers Twice in Win Over Rangers
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Leads Yankees to Victory
Salvador Perez

Crushes Two Homers in Win
Cleveland Browns

Greg Newsome on the Trade Block?
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Zach Tom

An Extension Candidate in Green Bay
Devin Booker

Agrees to Extension with Phoenix
Trevor Williams

to Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
Byron Buxton

Exits After Hit-by-Pitch, X-Rays Negative
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Playing on Wednesday
Alex Bregman

has "Really Good Chance" to Return Before All-Star Break
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Expected to Return on Friday
Walter Clayton Jr.

Leads Jazz to Summer League Win
Carter Bryant

Struggles in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Drops a Double-Double in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Oklahoma City Thunder

Malevy Leons Logs Impressive Summer League Outing on Tuesday
Dalton Knecht

Collects 25 Points in Lakers Summer League Win
Los Angeles Lakers

Darius Bazley Drops 27 Points in Summer League on Tuesday
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Chet Holmgren

Agrees to Rookie Max Extension
Alex Bregman

Not Returning Wednesday
Jhoan Duran

Unavailable Due to Illness
Shane McClanahan

Tosses Clean Frame in First Rehab Appearance
Jacob Wilson

Day-to-Day After HBP
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. to be Reassessed Wednesday
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Malaki Branham

Traded to Washington
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Blake Wesley

Moves to Washington
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Kelly Olynyk

on the Move Again
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
Ty Gibbs

Finishes Second at Chicago and Advances in In-Season Challenge
Alex Bowman

Defeats Bubba Wallace in In-Season Challenge, but Not Without Controversy
Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

Throttle Failure Ends Michael McDowell's Chances to Win at Chicago
Austin Hill

Earns First NASCAR Cup Series Top Ten at Chicago
Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
Kyle Busch

Matches his Best Career Finish At Chicago on Sunday
Denny Hamlin

Fights his Way to a Top-5 Finish at Chicago
William Byron

has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
Sonny Milano

on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Jakub Dobes

Signs Two-Year Deal with Canadiens
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF