The NASCAR Cup Series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the 2026 Dollar Tree 301, and this FanDuel DFS lineup takes an aggressive stars-and-value approach. The roster features Joey Logano, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Josh Berry, and Zane Smith, leaving $1,000 in salary remaining.
New Hampshire presents a unique DFS challenge. The Dollar Tree 301 is the penultimate race of the 2026 regular season and will be contested over 301 laps, meaning there is enough race length for the front-running drivers to build significant fantasy scores. Identifying potential dominators while finding lower-priced drivers capable of exceeding expectations will be critical.
This FanDuel lineup invests heavily in three proven stars while using Berry and Smith for salary relief. Here is a breakdown of each fantasy pick and the overall strategy for this week’s slate.
Joey Logano — $12,500
Joey Logano is one of the strongest plays in this lineup and enters New Hampshire with major momentum.
Logano won the most recent Cup Series race at Richmond, marking his second victory in the last four races. He led 95 laps in that Richmond victory, demonstrating the type of front-running upside DFS players want from an expensive FanDuel driver. He also has two career Cup Series victories at New Hampshire, giving him an additional track-history advantage entering the weekend.
At $12,500, Logano is not a cheap option, but he has the potential to justify the salary through a combination of laps led, finishing position, and overall race control. His recent momentum makes him particularly attractive this week.
For FanDuel players, Logano represents a high-ceiling anchor. If Team Penske brings another fast car and Logano spends a significant amount of time near the front, he could be one of the top fantasy scorers on the slate.
Christopher Bell — $14,000
Christopher Bell is the most expensive driver in this lineup, but he also offers one of the highest ceilings.
Bell enters the Dollar Tree 301 among the top betting choices for the race, with odds that place him alongside the elite contenders expected to challenge for the win. That makes sense for DFS purposes because New Hampshire’s 301 laps create opportunities for a dominant driver to separate from the field.
The key question is whether Bell can deliver enough production to justify his $14,000 FanDuel salary. A simple top-five finish may not be enough if other premium drivers lead more laps or dominate the race. However, if Bell wins, leads laps, and stays near the front throughout the afternoon, his salary could quickly become worthwhile.
Bell is the definition of a ceiling play. This lineup is betting that he will be one of the drivers capable of controlling the race.
Chase Elliott — $9,500
Chase Elliott may be the most interesting salary value among the lineup’s three stars.
At $9,500, Elliott comes at a substantial discount compared with Bell and Logano. That creates an opportunity to roster a driver with race-winning talent without paying an elite salary.
Elliott is also listed among the leading contenders for the Dollar Tree 301, although his odds are longer than the very top favorites. That creates potential tournament appeal: if he delivers a top-five or race-winning performance, his fantasy production could significantly outperform his price.
The biggest appeal here is roster construction. Elliott’s salary makes it possible to combine him with both Bell and Logano. Instead of choosing only one expensive driver, this lineup secures exposure to three drivers with legitimate winning upside.
That is an aggressive strategy, but it gives the roster a high overall ceiling.
Josh Berry — $8,500
Josh Berry is the lineup’s key mid-range selection.
Berry is priced high enough that he needs a competitive performance, but his $8,500 salary is far more manageable than the three premium drivers above him. He also enters the weekend as one of the stronger non-elite options on the betting board, suggesting legitimate upside if he can put together a complete race.
For this lineup to succeed, Berry does not necessarily need to win. A strong finish while outperforming similarly priced drivers could provide the value necessary to support the expensive core.
Berry is particularly important because he provides balance. Without a productive score from this salary range, the lineup could become too dependent on Bell, Logano, and Elliott. A strong Berry performance gives the roster another path to a tournament-winning total.
Zane Smith — $4,500
Zane Smith is the major salary-saving play.
At just $4,500, Smith allows this lineup to spend aggressively on Bell, Logano, and Elliott. His role is straightforward: avoid trouble, remain competitive, and exceed expectations for his price.
Smith enters the race as a long-shot contender compared with the expensive drivers in this roster, so he is not being selected for race-winning potential. Instead, he represents the type of value play DFS managers need when building a stars-and-scrubs lineup.
The upside comes from outperforming his salary. If Smith delivers a respectable finish while the three premium drivers dominate, he could become the salary-saving piece that makes the entire roster work.
Overall FanDuel DFS Advice for the Dollar Tree 301
The biggest strategy lesson from this lineup is that FanDuel players should not be afraid to leave salary on the table. This roster leaves $1,000 unused, and that can help create a more differentiated tournament lineup rather than forcing an unnecessary upgrade simply to spend every available dollar.
For the Dollar Tree 301, prioritize drivers with realistic winning and front-running potential. New Hampshire’s 301-lap format creates enough opportunity for dominant drivers to separate themselves from the field. Bell and Logano provide that elite upside, while Elliott offers a lower-priced path to a similar ceiling.
The other major factor is value. Berry needs to provide a solid return in the middle salary tier, while Smith must outperform his low price.
Before finalizing lineups, DFS players should also closely monitor practice, qualifying, starting positions, and any late news. Those factors can dramatically change the value of every driver.
Overall, this FanDuel lineup has a clear tournament strategy: pay for three drivers capable of winning the Dollar Tree 301, find value with Berry, and use Smith’s low salary to unlock the high-priced core. If the stars control the race and the value plays avoid trouble, this roster has the upside to make a serious run in this week’s NASCAR DFS contests.