Andrew Nembhard vs Ivica Zubac: who to start in Week 1
Andrew Nembhard plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Ivica Zubac 3. For that week alone, start Andrew Nembhard: 98.0 projected fantasy points to 97.2 for Ivica Zubac. Over the season, Andrew Nembhard leads in points leagues (32.7 fantasy points a game to 32.4) and Ivica Zubac in 9-cat leagues (85th against 115th). 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 22, 8:57 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #64
- 32.7 FP/G, slot 6.04, $15
- 9-cat leagues
- #115
- -1.6 z, slot 10.07, $7
The pick in points leagues.
- Points leagues
- #66
- 32.4 FP/G, slot 6.06, $15
- 9-cat leagues
- #85
- -0.9 z, slot 8.01, $10
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Andrew Nembhard. 32.7 fantasy points per game against 32.4, 64th on our board to 66th.
9-cat leagues: Ivica Zubac instead, -0.9 in summed z-scores against -1.6 (85th to 115th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Andrew Nembhard is ahead in 5 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM and FT%) and Ivica Zubac in 4 (REB, BLK, FG% and TO).
Per 36 minutes, Ivica Zubac produces more: 38.4 fantasy points to 37.3, on 30.4 minutes a night against 31.5. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Andrew Nembhard plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Ivica Zubac 3. For that week alone, start Andrew Nembhard: 98.0 projected fantasy points to 97.2 for Ivica Zubac.
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.
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Per game, side by side
| Per game | Andrew Nembhard | Ivica Zubac |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 32.7 | 32.4 |
| Minutes | 31.5 | 30.4 |
| PointsPTS | 17.0 | 14.2 |
| ReboundsREB | 2.8 | 10.9 |
| AssistsAST | 7.8 | 2.1 |
| StealsSTL | 0.9 | 0.4 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.1 | 0.9 |
| Threes3PM | 1.8 | 0.0 |
| Field goal %FG% | 45.0% | 59.6% |
| Free throw %FT% | 82.8% | 69.4% |
| TurnoversTO | 2.4 | 1.7 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 57 | 48 |
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 | Andrew Nembhard | Ivica Zubac |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 37.3 | 38.4 |
| Points | 19.4 | 16.9 |
| Rebounds | 3.2 | 12.9 |
| Assists | 8.9 | 2.4 |
| Steals | 1.0 | 0.4 |
| Blocks | 0.2 | 1.1 |
| Threes | 2.0 | 0.0 |
| Turnovers | 2.7 | 2.1 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
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9-category z-scores
| Category | Andrew Nembhard | Ivica Zubac |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | +0.1 | -0.4 |
| ReboundsREB | -1.4 | +2.3 |
| AssistsAST | +2.1 | -0.8 |
| StealsSTL | -0.3 | -1.9 |
| BlocksBLK | -1.1 | +0.5 |
| Threes3PM | +0.1 | -1.7 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.8 | +1.8 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.4 | -1.0 |
| TurnoversTO | -0.7 | +0.1 |
| Total | -1.6 | -0.9 |
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, field goal percentage and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to Andrew Nembhard.
| Punt | Andrew Nembhard | Ivica Zubac |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -1.7 (#148) | -0.6 (#84) |
| REB | -0.3 (#64) | -3.5 (#226) |
| AST | -3.8 (#233) | -0.2 (#61) |
| STL | -1.4 (#114) | +0.9 (#38) |
| BLK | -0.5 (#74) | -1.8 (#122) |
| 3PM | -1.8 (#130) | +0.7 (#42) |
| FG% | -1.0 (#87) | -3.5 (#178) |
| FT% | -2.1 (#141) | +0.0 (#61) |
| TO | -1.0 (#81) | -1.3 (#92) |
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 391 ranked players.
Week 1 (Oct 19-25)
- Andrew Nembhard: 3 games (Wed @NOP, Fri DAL, Sun @BKN).
- Ivica Zubac: 3 games (Wed @NOP, Fri DAL, Sun @BKN).
Recent games
- Andrew Nembhard: 34.9 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 32.7 on the board.
- Ivica Zubac: 39.0 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 32.4 on the board.
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Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Andrew Nembhard playing tonight? · Is Ivica Zubac playing tonight?
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Andrew Nembhard or Ivica Zubac?
Points leagues: Andrew Nembhard. 32.7 fantasy points per game against 32.4, 64th on our board to 66th. 9-cat leagues: Ivica Zubac instead, -0.9 in summed z-scores against -1.6 (85th to 115th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Andrew Nembhard or Ivica Zubac?
Category by category, Andrew Nembhard is ahead in 5 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM and FT%) and Ivica Zubac in 4 (REB, BLK, FG% and TO).
Who should I start in Week 1, Andrew Nembhard or Ivica Zubac?
Andrew Nembhard plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Ivica Zubac 3. For that week alone, start Andrew Nembhard: 98.0 projected fantasy points to 97.2 for Ivica Zubac.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 22, 2026 at 8:57 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number