Skip to main content

Anfernee Simons vs Kyle Anderson: who to start in Week 1

Anfernee Simons plays 4 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Kyle Anderson 3. For that week alone, start Anfernee Simons: 84.6 projected fantasy points to 54.3 for Kyle Anderson. Over the season, Anfernee Simons leads in both formats: 21.2 fantasy points a game to 18.1, and 203rd against 211th 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 22, 11:54 AM ET.

Parlae may earn a commission from price links.

Anfernee Simons
PGSGPHIage 27
Points leagues
#191
21.2 FP/G, slot 16.11
9-cat leagues
#203
-3.8 z, slot 17.11

The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.

Kyle Anderson
SFPFTORage 33
Points leagues
#231
18.1 FP/G, slot 20.03
9-cat leagues
#211
-4.0 z, slot 18.07

The call

Points leagues: Anfernee Simons. 21.2 fantasy points per game against 18.1, 191st on our board to 231st.

9-cat leagues: Anfernee Simons again, -3.8 in summed z-scores against -4.0 (203rd to 211th).

Category by category, Anfernee Simons is ahead in 3 (PTS, 3PM and FT%) and Kyle Anderson in 6 (REB, AST, STL, BLK, FG% and TO).

Per 36 minutes, Kyle Anderson produces more: 34.4 fantasy points to 30.5, on 18.9 minutes a night against 24.9. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.

Anfernee Simons plays 4 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Kyle Anderson 3. For that week alone, start Anfernee Simons: 84.6 projected fantasy points to 54.3 for Kyle Anderson.

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 gameAnfernee SimonsKyle Anderson
Fantasy points per game21.218.1
Minutes24.918.9
PointsPTS14.25.8
ReboundsREB2.43.3
AssistsAST2.32.9
StealsSTL0.51.0
BlocksBLK0.10.6
Threes3PM2.70.1
Field goal %FG%44.3%52.2%
Free throw %FT%89.6%70.6%
TurnoversTO1.20.8
Games, 2025-265543

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 36Anfernee SimonsKyle Anderson
Fantasy points30.534.4
Points20.511.0
Rebounds3.56.3
Assists3.35.5
Steals0.72.0
Blocks0.21.1
Threes3.90.2
Turnovers1.71.6

Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.

Advertisement

9-category z-scores

CategoryAnfernee SimonsKyle Anderson
PointsPTS-0.4-1.9
ReboundsREB-1.5-1.1
AssistsAST-0.7-0.4
StealsSTL-1.6+0.1
BlocksBLK-1.1-0.2
Threes3PM+1.1-1.6
Field goal percentageFG%-0.8+0.3
Free throw percentageFT%+0.4-0.4
TurnoversTO+0.9+1.3
Total-3.8-4.0

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 points, threes and free throw percentage flips the 9-cat answer to Kyle Anderson.

PuntAnfernee SimonsKyle Anderson
PTS-3.4 (#246)-2.1 (#171)
REB-2.2 (#144)-3.1 (#204)
AST-3.2 (#209)-3.6 (#225)
STL-2.3 (#156)-4.1 (#248)
BLK-2.7 (#162)-4.0 (#230)
3PM-4.9 (#276)-2.4 (#153)
FG%-2.9 (#156)-4.7 (#245)
FT%-4.3 (#233)-3.5 (#193)
TO-4.8 (#205)-5.4 (#223)

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)

  • Anfernee Simons: 4 games (Tue @NYK, Thu CLE, Sat MIL, Sun DET), 1 back-to-back.
  • Kyle Anderson: 3 games (Wed CHI, Fri @WAS, Sun @MIN).

Every team's games this week · Week 1 streamers

Recent games

  • Anfernee Simons: 15.4 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 21.2 on the board.
  • Kyle Anderson: 7.2 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 18.1 on the board.

Advertisement

Other picks at the same spot

NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers

Is Anfernee Simons playing tonight? · Is Kyle Anderson playing tonight?

Common questions

  • Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Anfernee Simons or Kyle Anderson?

    Points leagues: Anfernee Simons. 21.2 fantasy points per game against 18.1, 191st on our board to 231st. 9-cat leagues: Anfernee Simons again, -3.8 in summed z-scores against -4.0 (203rd to 211th).

  • Who wins more categories, Anfernee Simons or Kyle Anderson?

    Category by category, Anfernee Simons is ahead in 3 (PTS, 3PM and FT%) and Kyle Anderson in 6 (REB, AST, STL, BLK, FG% and TO).

  • Who should I start in Week 1, Anfernee Simons or Kyle Anderson?

    Anfernee Simons plays 4 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Kyle Anderson 3. For that week alone, start Anfernee Simons: 84.6 projected fantasy points to 54.3 for Kyle Anderson.

By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 22, 2026 at 11:54 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number