Ausar Thompson vs Nikola Vučević: who to start in Week 2
Ausar Thompson plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Nikola Vučević 3. For that week alone, start Nikola Vučević: 85.3 projected fantasy points to 84.9 for Ausar Thompson. Over the season, Nikola Vučević leads in both formats: 28.4 fantasy points a game to 28.3, and 84th against 91st 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 26, 10:30 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
Parlae may earn a commission from price links.
- Points leagues
- #99
- 28.3 FP/G, slot 9.03, $9
- 9-cat leagues
- #91
- -1.0 z, slot 8.07, $9
Day to day (Ankle)
- Points leagues
- #97
- 28.4 FP/G, slot 9.01, $9
- 9-cat leagues
- #84
- -0.9 z, slot 7.12, $10
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Nikola Vučević. 28.4 fantasy points per game against 28.3, 97th on our board to 99th.
9-cat leagues: Nikola Vučević again, -0.9 in summed z-scores against -1.0 (84th to 91st).
Category by category, Ausar Thompson is ahead in 4 (AST, STL, BLK and FG%) and Nikola Vučević in 5 (PTS, REB, 3PM, FT% and TO).
Per 36 minutes, Nikola Vučević produces more: 40.9 fantasy points to 39.1, on 25.0 minutes a night against 26.0. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Ausar Thompson plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Nikola Vučević 3. For that week alone, start Nikola Vučević: 85.3 projected fantasy points to 84.9 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 | Nikola Vučević |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 28.3 | 28.4 |
| Minutes | 26.0 | 25.0 |
| PointsPTS | 9.6 | 12.8 |
| ReboundsREB | 5.9 | 7.3 |
| AssistsAST | 3.3 | 3.0 |
| StealsSTL | 1.9 | 0.5 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.9 | 0.6 |
| Threes3PM | 0.1 | 1.4 |
| Field goal %FG% | 51.9% | 48.6% |
| Free throw %FT% | 60.1% | 82.8% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.7 | 1.2 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 73 | 64 |
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 | Nikola Vučević |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 39.1 | 40.9 |
| Points | 13.3 | 18.5 |
| Rebounds | 8.1 | 10.5 |
| Assists | 4.6 | 4.3 |
| Steals | 2.6 | 0.7 |
| Blocks | 1.2 | 0.9 |
| Threes | 0.1 | 2.0 |
| Turnovers | 2.3 | 1.7 |
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 | Nikola Vučević |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -1.2 | -0.6 |
| ReboundsREB | +0.1 | +0.7 |
| AssistsAST | -0.1 | -0.3 |
| StealsSTL | +2.2 | -1.4 |
| BlocksBLK | +0.5 | -0.1 |
| Threes3PM | -1.7 | -0.3 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | +0.5 | +0.0 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -1.5 | +0.1 |
| TurnoversTO | +0.2 | +0.9 |
| Total | -1.0 | -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 points, rebounds, threes, free throw percentage and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to Ausar Thompson.
| Punt | Ausar Thompson | Nikola Vučević |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | +0.1 (#59) | -0.3 (#76) |
| REB | -1.5 (#117) | -1.7 (#124) |
| AST | -1.0 (#96) | -0.6 (#77) |
| STL | -3.3 (#199) | +0.4 (#49) |
| BLK | -1.8 (#122) | -1.0 (#93) |
| 3PM | +0.6 (#42) | -0.7 (#84) |
| FG% | -2.2 (#129) | -1.0 (#91) |
| FT% | +0.5 (#45) | -1.0 (#99) |
| TO | -1.4 (#91) | -1.9 (#106) |
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 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1)
- Ausar Thompson: 3 games (Tue @NYK, Wed CHA, Fri @BKN), 1 back-to-back, listed DTD.
- Nikola Vučević: 3 games (Wed @TOR, Fri @TOR, Sun BOS).
Recent games
- Ausar Thompson: 24.9 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 28.3 on the board.
- Nikola Vučević: 7.7 fantasy points a game over his last 3 of 2026-27, against 28.4 on the board.
Advertisement
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Ausar Thompson playing tonight? · Is Nikola Vučević playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Ausar Thompson
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Ausar Thompson or Nikola Vučević?
Points leagues: Nikola Vučević. 28.4 fantasy points per game against 28.3, 97th on our board to 99th. 9-cat leagues: Nikola Vučević again, -0.9 in summed z-scores against -1.0 (84th to 91st).
Who wins more categories, Ausar Thompson or Nikola Vučević?
Category by category, Ausar Thompson is ahead in 4 (AST, STL, BLK and FG%) and Nikola Vučević in 5 (PTS, REB, 3PM, FT% and TO).
Who should I start in Week 2, Ausar Thompson or Nikola Vučević?
Ausar Thompson plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Nikola Vučević 3. For that week alone, start Nikola Vučević: 85.3 projected fantasy points to 84.9 for Ausar Thompson.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 26, 2026 at 10:30 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number