Austin Reaves vs Darius Acuff Jr.: who to start in Week 3
Austin Reaves plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Darius Acuff Jr. 4. For that week alone, start Darius Acuff Jr.: 155.6 projected fantasy points to 150.1 for Austin Reaves. Over the season, Darius Acuff Jr. leads in points leagues (38.9 fantasy points a game to 37.5) and Austin Reaves in 9-cat leagues (29th against 170th). 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 Nov 3, 12:36 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #39
- 37.5 FP/G, slot 4.03, $22
- 9-cat leagues
- #29
- +1.7 z, slot 3.05, $25
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #33
- 38.9 FP/G, slot 3.09, $24
- 9-cat leagues
- #170
- -2.9 z, slot 15.02
The pick in points leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Darius Acuff Jr.. 38.9 fantasy points per game against 37.5, 33rd on our board to 39th.
9-cat leagues: Austin Reaves instead, +1.7 in summed z-scores against -2.9 (29th to 170th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Austin Reaves is ahead in 5 (REB, STL, BLK, FG% and FT%) and Darius Acuff Jr. in 4 (PTS, AST, 3PM and TO).
Per 36 minutes, Austin Reaves produces more: 38.6 fantasy points to 38.4, on 35.0 minutes a night against 36.5. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Austin Reaves plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Darius Acuff Jr. 4. For that week alone, start Darius Acuff Jr.: 155.6 projected fantasy points to 150.1 for Austin Reaves.
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.
Per game, side by side
| Per game | Austin Reaves | Darius Acuff Jr. |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 37.5 | 38.9 |
| Minutes | 35.0 | 36.5 |
| PointsPTS | 23.2 | 26.3 |
| ReboundsREB | 4.3 | 3.7 |
| AssistsAST | 5.4 | 6.3 |
| StealsSTL | 1.1 | 0.5 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.4 | 0.2 |
| Threes3PM | 2.3 | 3.2 |
| Field goal %FG% | 49.9% | 39.6% |
| Free throw %FT% | 87.2% | 86.2% |
| TurnoversTO | 3.5 | 3.3 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 51 | 0 |
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 | Austin Reaves | Darius Acuff Jr. |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 38.6 | 38.4 |
| Points | 23.9 | 26.0 |
| Rebounds | 4.4 | 3.6 |
| Assists | 5.5 | 6.2 |
| Steals | 1.1 | 0.5 |
| Blocks | 0.5 | 0.2 |
| Threes | 2.4 | 3.1 |
| Turnovers | 3.6 | 3.3 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
9-category z-scores
| Category | Austin Reaves | Darius Acuff Jr. |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | +1.2 | +1.7 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.7 | -0.9 |
| AssistsAST | +0.8 | +1.3 |
| StealsSTL | +0.0 | -1.5 |
| BlocksBLK | -0.5 | -1.0 |
| Threes3PM | +0.6 | +1.5 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | +0.4 | -3.2 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +1.6 | +0.9 |
| TurnoversTO | -1.9 | -1.7 |
| Total | +1.7 | -2.9 |
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
No punt changes the answer: Austin Reaves stays ahead whichever category you give up.
| Punt | Austin Reaves | Darius Acuff Jr. |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | +0.4 (#46) | -4.6 (#325) |
| REB | +2.3 (#18) | -1.8 (#126) |
| AST | +0.8 (#36) | -4.2 (#266) |
| STL | +1.6 (#30) | -1.3 (#107) |
| BLK | +2.1 (#23) | -1.8 (#125) |
| 3PM | +0.8 (#41) | -4.6 (#275) |
| FG% | +1.4 (#37) | +0.5 (#50) |
| FT% | -0.1 (#62) | -4.0 (#223) |
| TO | +3.5 (#19) | -1.0 (#86) |
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 432 ranked players.
Week 3 (Nov 2-8)
- Austin Reaves: 4 games (Mon MIA, Wed @SAC, Fri POR, Sun @DET), 1 back-to-back.
- Darius Acuff Jr.: 4 games (Mon @DAL, Wed LAL, Fri SAS, Sun MIA).
Austin Reaves or Darius Acuff Jr.: the Week 3 start/sit call
Recent games
- Austin Reaves: 34.0 fantasy points a game over his last 8 of 2026-27, against 37.5 on the board.
- Darius Acuff Jr.: 38.8 fantasy points a game over his last 7 of 2026-27, against 38.9 on the board.
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Austin Reaves playing tonight? · Is Darius Acuff Jr. playing tonight?
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Austin Reaves or Darius Acuff Jr.?
Points leagues: Darius Acuff Jr.. 38.9 fantasy points per game against 37.5, 33rd on our board to 39th. 9-cat leagues: Austin Reaves instead, +1.7 in summed z-scores against -2.9 (29th to 170th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Austin Reaves or Darius Acuff Jr.?
Category by category, Austin Reaves is ahead in 5 (REB, STL, BLK, FG% and FT%) and Darius Acuff Jr. in 4 (PTS, AST, 3PM and TO).
Who should I start in Week 3, Austin Reaves or Darius Acuff Jr.?
Austin Reaves plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Darius Acuff Jr. 4. For that week alone, start Darius Acuff Jr.: 155.6 projected fantasy points to 150.1 for Austin Reaves.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Nov 3, 2026 at 12:36 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number