Ausar Thompson vs Matas Buzelis: who to start in Week 1
Ausar Thompson plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Matas Buzelis 3. For that week alone, start Matas Buzelis: 92.1 projected fantasy points to 86.8 for Ausar Thompson. Over the season, Matas Buzelis leads in points leagues (30.7 fantasy points a game to 28.9) and Ausar Thompson in 9-cat leagues (74th against 76th). 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, 1:54 PM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
Parlae may earn a commission from price links.
- Points leagues
- #96
- 28.9 FP/G, slot 8.12, $10
- 9-cat leagues
- #74
- -0.6 z, slot 7.02, $12
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #79
- 30.7 FP/G, slot 7.07, $12
- 9-cat leagues
- #76
- -0.7 z, slot 7.04, $12
The pick in points leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Matas Buzelis. 30.7 fantasy points per game against 28.9, 79th on our board to 96th.
9-cat leagues: Ausar Thompson instead, -0.6 in summed z-scores against -0.7 (74th to 76th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Ausar Thompson is ahead in 5 (REB, AST, STL, FG% and TO) and Matas Buzelis in 4 (PTS, BLK, 3PM and FT%).
Per 36 minutes, Ausar Thompson produces more: 39.5 fantasy points to 38.2, on 26.4 minutes a night against 28.9. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Ausar Thompson plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Matas Buzelis 3. For that week alone, start Matas Buzelis: 92.1 projected fantasy points to 86.8 for Ausar Thompson.
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 | Ausar Thompson | Matas Buzelis |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 28.9 | 30.7 |
| Minutes | 26.4 | 28.9 |
| PointsPTS | 9.9 | 16.3 |
| ReboundsREB | 6.1 | 5.8 |
| AssistsAST | 3.2 | 1.9 |
| StealsSTL | 1.9 | 0.7 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.9 | 1.5 |
| Threes3PM | 0.1 | 2.1 |
| Field goal %FG% | 52.4% | 45.4% |
| Free throw %FT% | 60.1% | 79.3% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.6 | 2.1 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 73 | 77 |
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 | Ausar Thompson | Matas Buzelis |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 39.5 | 38.2 |
| Points | 13.6 | 20.3 |
| Rebounds | 8.3 | 7.3 |
| Assists | 4.4 | 2.4 |
| Steals | 2.6 | 0.8 |
| Blocks | 1.2 | 1.9 |
| Threes | 0.1 | 2.6 |
| Turnovers | 2.2 | 2.6 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
Advertisement
9-category z-scores
| Category | Ausar Thompson | Matas Buzelis |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -1.1 | -0.0 |
| ReboundsREB | +0.1 | +0.0 |
| AssistsAST | -0.2 | -0.9 |
| StealsSTL | +2.6 | -1.0 |
| BlocksBLK | +0.4 | +1.8 |
| Threes3PM | -1.6 | +0.5 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | +0.5 | -0.7 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -1.6 | -0.1 |
| TurnoversTO | +0.3 | -0.3 |
| Total | -0.6 | -0.7 |
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, assists, steals, field goal percentage and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to Matas Buzelis.
| Punt | Ausar Thompson | Matas Buzelis |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | +0.5 (#47) | -0.7 (#90) |
| REB | -1.2 (#98) | -0.8 (#82) |
| AST | -0.4 (#71) | +0.1 (#50) |
| STL | -3.3 (#197) | +0.2 (#57) |
| BLK | -1.3 (#104) | -2.6 (#157) |
| 3PM | +1.0 (#37) | -1.2 (#100) |
| FG% | -1.8 (#114) | -0.1 (#64) |
| FT% | +1.1 (#38) | -0.7 (#80) |
| TO | -0.9 (#80) | -0.4 (#68) |
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)
- Ausar Thompson: 3 games (Tue BOS, Fri @MIA, Sun @PHI).
- Matas Buzelis: 3 games (Wed @TOR, Fri @MIL, Sat WAS), 1 back-to-back.
Recent games
- Ausar Thompson: 31.7 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 28.9 on the board.
- Matas Buzelis: 27.2 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 30.7 on the board.
Advertisement
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Ausar Thompson playing tonight? · Is Matas Buzelis playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Ausar Thompson, Matas Buzelis
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Ausar Thompson or Matas Buzelis?
Points leagues: Matas Buzelis. 30.7 fantasy points per game against 28.9, 79th on our board to 96th. 9-cat leagues: Ausar Thompson instead, -0.6 in summed z-scores against -0.7 (74th to 76th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Ausar Thompson or Matas Buzelis?
Category by category, Ausar Thompson is ahead in 5 (REB, AST, STL, FG% and TO) and Matas Buzelis in 4 (PTS, BLK, 3PM and FT%).
Who should I start in Week 1, Ausar Thompson or Matas Buzelis?
Ausar Thompson plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Matas Buzelis 3. For that week alone, start Matas Buzelis: 92.1 projected fantasy points to 86.8 for Ausar Thompson.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 22, 2026 at 1:54 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number