Ajay Mitchell vs Derik Queen: who to start in Week 1
Ajay Mitchell plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Derik Queen 3. For that week alone, start Derik Queen: 88.2 projected fantasy points to 77.5 for Ajay Mitchell. Over the season, Derik Queen leads in both formats: 29.4 fantasy points a game to 25.8, and 99th against 101st in 9-cat. The two go close together on our board, which is our own ranking order from 2025-26 and 2026-27 box scores, not ADP.
Updated Oct 24, 8:26 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
Parlae may earn a commission from price links.
- Points leagues
- #128
- 25.8 FP/G, slot 11.08, $6
- 9-cat leagues
- #101
- -1.3 z, slot 9.05, $8
- Points leagues
- #89
- 29.4 FP/G, slot 8.05, $11
- 9-cat leagues
- #99
- -1.2 z, slot 9.03, $8
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Derik Queen. 29.4 fantasy points per game against 25.8, 89th on our board to 128th.
9-cat leagues: Derik Queen again, -1.2 in summed z-scores against -1.3 (99th to 101st).
Category by category, Ajay Mitchell is ahead in 6 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM, FT% and TO) and Derik Queen in 2 (REB and BLK).
Per 36 minutes, Derik Queen produces more: 42.7 fantasy points to 36.4, on 24.8 minutes a night against 25.5. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Ajay Mitchell plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Derik Queen 3. For that week alone, start Derik Queen: 88.2 projected fantasy points to 77.5 for Ajay Mitchell.
Slots are where our board's order lands in a 12-team snake draft (round.pick), and dollars are auction value over replacement for 12 teams with $200 each. Neither is ADP: no free draft-position feed lets us republish it.
Advertisement
Per game, side by side
| Per game | Ajay Mitchell | Derik Queen |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 25.8 | 29.4 |
| Minutes | 25.5 | 24.8 |
| PointsPTS | 12.9 | 11.6 |
| ReboundsREB | 3.2 | 7.2 |
| AssistsAST | 3.5 | 3.4 |
| StealsSTL | 1.4 | 1.1 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.3 | 0.9 |
| Threes3PM | 0.9 | 0.3 |
| Field goal %FG% | 47.2% | 47.2% |
| Free throw %FT% | 87.6% | 81.2% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.5 | 2.2 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 57 | 81 |
Bold is the better number. The line blends 2025-26 with 2026-27 games as they are played, the same numbers the rankings use.
Per 36 minutes
| Per 36 | Ajay Mitchell | Derik Queen |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 36.4 | 42.7 |
| Points | 18.2 | 16.9 |
| Rebounds | 4.6 | 10.5 |
| Assists | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Steals | 2.0 | 1.7 |
| Blocks | 0.5 | 1.3 |
| Threes | 1.3 | 0.4 |
| Turnovers | 2.1 | 3.3 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
Advertisement
9-category z-scores
| Category | Ajay Mitchell | Derik Queen |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -0.6 | -0.8 |
| ReboundsREB | -1.1 | +0.7 |
| AssistsAST | -0.0 | -0.1 |
| StealsSTL | +1.0 | +0.3 |
| BlocksBLK | -0.7 | +0.5 |
| Threes3PM | -0.7 | -1.4 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.2 | -0.2 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.7 | +0.2 |
| TurnoversTO | +0.5 | -0.5 |
| Total | -1.3 | -1.2 |
Each number is standard deviations above or below the top 156 players (a 12-team league's rosters). Field goal and free throw percentage are weighted by attempts, and turnovers count against.
If you punt a category
Punting rebounds, blocks and field goal percentage flips the 9-cat answer to Ajay Mitchell.
| Punt | Ajay Mitchell | Derik Queen |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -0.7 (#92) | -0.4 (#77) |
| REB | -0.2 (#61) | -2.1 (#135) |
| AST | -1.3 (#116) | -1.2 (#109) |
| STL | -2.4 (#156) | -1.6 (#123) |
| BLK | -0.7 (#81) | -2.0 (#133) |
| 3PM | -0.7 (#83) | +0.1 (#57) |
| FG% | -1.2 (#92) | -1.4 (#98) |
| FT% | -2.0 (#141) | -1.4 (#111) |
| TO | -1.8 (#106) | -0.9 (#75) |
Value is the sum of the other eight z-scores, recomputed with the punted category left out of the pool that sets them; the rank is among all 392 ranked players.
Week 1 (Oct 19-25)
- Ajay Mitchell: 3 games (Tue @SAS, Thu DEN, Sun LAC).
- Derik Queen: 3 games (Wed IND, Fri @UTA, Sat @DEN), 1 back-to-back.
Recent games
- Ajay Mitchell: 22.5 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 25.8 on the board.
- Derik Queen: 30.9 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 29.4 on the board.
Advertisement
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Ajay Mitchell playing tonight? · Is Derik Queen playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Ajay Mitchell, Derik Queen
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Ajay Mitchell or Derik Queen?
Points leagues: Derik Queen. 29.4 fantasy points per game against 25.8, 89th on our board to 128th. 9-cat leagues: Derik Queen again, -1.2 in summed z-scores against -1.3 (99th to 101st).
Who wins more categories, Ajay Mitchell or Derik Queen?
Category by category, Ajay Mitchell is ahead in 6 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM, FT% and TO) and Derik Queen in 2 (REB and BLK).
Who should I start in Week 1, Ajay Mitchell or Derik Queen?
Ajay Mitchell plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Derik Queen 3. For that week alone, start Derik Queen: 88.2 projected fantasy points to 77.5 for Ajay Mitchell.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 24, 2026 at 8:26 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number