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Sean's NASCAR DFS picks for DraftKings, FanDuel for the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway (2026). His top NASCAR daily fantasy lineup plays and DFS sleepers.
With 26 races now fully complete, it is time to start The Chase in the NASCAR Cup Series this week. The Chase is NASCAR's postseason, where 16 drivers compete through points racing in the final 10 races to determine the champion after a points reset. Whichever driver earns the most points through the final 10 races of The Chase becomes the champion of 2026. It all begins at Darlington Raceway, a unique egg-shaped oval track that is considered one of the toughest in the Cup Series to drive. Drivers often struggle to feel fully comfortable at Darlington as it is easy for a team to set up a car to be fast through one pair of corners and then slow through another. Racing the course is just as much of a challenge as racing the competition at Darlington, and sometimes drivers may struggle with the layout while grazing the wall.
As far as DFS is concerned for Darlington, this is a track where dominators can reign supreme, while at the same time, drivers may be able to move up for positions. A mix of one to two dominator choices who can lead plenty of laps while looking for some Place Differential upside plays can pay off well for this week's race. Practice and qualifying were canceled due to weather, meaning that the NASCAR rulebook set up the starting grid for this week's race. Since the metric the rulebook uses to set starting positions when canceled factors in the previous race's finishing positions, this puts many notable drivers in a position of high upside. Balancing PD with dominators is key to winning big this week, and multiple lineups are not a bad idea with Darlington, especially with how often this track makes drivers take themselves out of contention for a good finish.
Below are my NASCAR DFS lineup picks for the Cook Out Southern 500 on DraftKings and FanDuel this week. This slate locks on 8/29/2026 at 7:30 p.m. EST. If you have further questions or want to discuss racing, you can find me on X at @SeanE247.
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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.
Our NASCAR Premium Package also comes with exclusive access to Jordan McAbee's DFS/betting picks, projections, and algorithm-predicted finishing order. Jordan's betting track record: 100+ units of profit since 2023, 25% yearly average profit since 2018.
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.
Denny Hamlin
Starts 4th - DK: $11K, FD: $13K
Toyota is the manufacturer to beat when it comes to Darlington. They have won each of the last three races at the site, all with different drivers. The driver who started the current active streak of victories for the manufacturer is Denny Hamlin, who historically is excellent at Darlington.
In 28 Cup starts at Darlington, Hamlin has five wins, 14 top-5 finishes, 20 top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 8.0. All of these statistics are best among active drivers, while he ranks second among active drivers in laps led (1,022). With four finishes of seventh or better in the last five races at Darlington, Hamlin continues to be remarkably consistent and proves why Darlington is one of his best tracks.
5-time Darlington winner Denny Hamlin! pic.twitter.com/AfHoHDIG7O
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 6, 2025
Hamlin will start close to the front after qualifying was canceled, which is a position that can help him be a potential dominator for this race. As the No. 1 Seeded driver in The Chase, he has been the most consistent driver of the year with an 8.2 average finish and four wins. Never underestimate Hamlin at Darlington, as he is a threat to win regardless of circumstances since he's been that good at this track.
Ryan Blaney
Starts 24th - DK: $10.2K, FD: $12K
Ryan Blaney has been carrying Ford as the manufacturer's best driver by a sizable margin this year. Blaney is the No. 2 Seed for this year's Chase, with three wins, 17 top-10 finishes (tied for the most with Hamlin), and an average finish of 11.5 with 828 laps led (both of which rank second of all drivers behind Hamlin this season).
Darlington was a track where Blaney struggled to navigate earlier in his career, but he has been improving in results in recent races. Two of his last three Darlington starts resulted in top-5 finishes, including a career-best finish of third earlier this year.
How tough is racing at Darlington? Ask Ryan Blaney.
📺: 6PM ET on USA. pic.twitter.com/fFt7WBm78G
— NASCAR on USA (@NASCARonUSA) August 31, 2025
Blaney's starting position this week is deeper in the pack, providing him with plenty of upside for this week's race. Based on equipment and recent results, there is a high chance that Blaney will compete for a top-10 finish. Fantasy players should consider him for all DFS formats this week.
Chase Briscoe
Starts 7th - DK: $9.8K, FD: $13.5K
One driver who should not be overlooked for this week's race is Chase Briscoe. Another racer from Joe Gibbs Racing who has been historically great at Darlington, Briscoe is a driver who has established himself as a regular contender for the win at the site.
In 11 races at Darlington, Briscoe has two wins and three top-5 finishes. Briscoe won each of the last two Summer Darlington races, and he scored positive PD in four of his last five Cup events at the site. Last year's Darlington Summer race is especially notable for Briscoe, as he dominated the race and led 309 out of 367 laps.
Chase Briscoe is a two-time Southern 500 winner! pic.twitter.com/bnCQuVXjVH
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) September 1, 2025
Although he does not carry as much upside as some other drivers around his salary range, Briscoe's recent track history is hard to ignore. Considering he is with the same team that he dominated this race with one year ago, expect Briscoe to be fast and competitive on Sunday.
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Chris Buescher
Starts 35th - DK: $8.6K, FD: $9K
Darlington is one of the few tracks where RFK Racing has shown plenty of speed and scored some success in recent years. Although Chris Buescher has never won there, he has come close on more than one occasion. What Buescher is also well-known for at Darlington is his great consistency at the site in terms of finishes.
In 18 starts at Darlington in the Cup Series, Buescher has eight top-10 finishes and an average finish of 15.2. Six of Buescher's top-10 finishes were earned in his last seven Darlington races. Scoring PD is common for Buescher at Darlington as well, as he finished with positive PD in all but one of his starts at the site since 2022.
Who has two thumbs and didn’t want to see the lineup set by the metric today 🫠
Not off to the start we wanted but it’s a long one tomorrow. 17 crew will be ready. pic.twitter.com/G0Ltfzydlm
— Chris Buescher (@Chris_Buescher) September 5, 2026
Due to getting involved in a crash early on last week at Daytona, Buescher's starting position will be towards the rear of the field. This is likely to make him one of the most popular DFS options this week, but his track history is too great to ignore with his massive upside. Buescher is an easy recommendation to make for this week's race.
Erik Jones
Starts 36th - DK: $7.5K, FD: $7.5K
There are some racers who perform especially well at a particular track. For Darlington, this is the best statistical track for Legacy Motor Club's Erik Jones. No other track on the Cup Series schedule has seen more success for Jones than Darlington.
RETWEET TO CONGRATULATE ERIK JONES AND THE 43 TEAM ON THEIR WIN AT DARLINGTON! pic.twitter.com/y9kSZUnU4O
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) September 5, 2022
In 17 races at Darlington, Jones has two wins, 10 top-10 finishes, and an average finish of 12.6. The No. 43 Toyota driver placed in the top 10 in his last two appearances at Darlington, but more impressive is how many finishes with positive PD he scored. Since his last victory at the track in September 2022, Jones has finished every race at Darlington with positive PD.
Starting 36th tomorrow. Only way is up. pic.twitter.com/Yl68Os8xpJ
— Erik Jones (@Erik_Jones) September 5, 2026
Jones is another driver who will start at the rear of the field as a result of being involved in an earlier crash at Daytona. This provides him with plenty of upside for this week's race, and although he may not have the best equipment, Jones still has the skill and team to likely finish in the top 20 or even compete for a top-15 finish.
Josh Berry
Starts 14th - DK: $6.9K, FD: $6K
One of the hottest drivers over the last month was Josh Berry. Over the last five races this season, Berry placed in the top 10 every time. Although this streak was accomplished mostly on shorter and flatter ovals where Berry and his team run best, it also includes Indianapolis and last week's race at Daytona.
"I think we definitely had one of the best (cars) for sure" -Josh Berry earns a third-place finish at Darlington.
Also, hear from his @StewartHaasRcng teammate Chase Briscoe: https://t.co/9MrpOu6vHc
📹@soundlink_trent @stephen_stumpf pic.twitter.com/Xt1SbqenSz
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) May 12, 2024
In six races at Darlington, Berry has just two top-20 finishes, with his best finish being a third-place result in May 2024. Berry placed 17th earlier in the year at Darlington, which ended up being one of his only few starts at the site where he was unaffected by accidents or car issues.
Although he may not offer as much upside as some drivers in his salary range, Berry has been running better and is in better equipment than most. The No. 21 Ford driver is still one of the better options to consider when looking for values, especially for FanDuel lineups.
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