Austin Reaves vs Walker Kessler: who to start in Week 3
Austin Reaves plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Walker Kessler 4. For that week alone, start Walker Kessler: 152.0 projected fantasy points to 150.1 for Austin Reaves. Over the season, Walker Kessler leads in both formats: 38.0 fantasy points a game to 37.5, and 12th against 29th 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 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
- Points leagues
- #37
- 38.0 FP/G, slot 4.01, $23
- 9-cat leagues
- #12
- +3.7 z, slot 1.12, $37
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Walker Kessler. 38.0 fantasy points per game against 37.5, 37th on our board to 39th.
9-cat leagues: Walker Kessler again, +3.7 in summed z-scores against +1.7 (12th to 29th).
Category by category, Austin Reaves is ahead in 4 (PTS, AST, 3PM and FT%) and Walker Kessler in 5 (REB, STL, BLK, FG% and TO).
Per 36 minutes, Walker Kessler produces more: 44.6 fantasy points to 38.6, on 30.7 minutes a night against 35.0. 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), Walker Kessler 4. For that week alone, start Walker Kessler: 152.0 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 | Walker Kessler |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 37.5 | 38.0 |
| Minutes | 35.0 | 30.7 |
| PointsPTS | 23.2 | 14.3 |
| ReboundsREB | 4.3 | 10.3 |
| AssistsAST | 5.4 | 1.9 |
| StealsSTL | 1.1 | 1.2 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.4 | 2.4 |
| Threes3PM | 2.3 | 0.5 |
| Field goal %FG% | 49.9% | 73.4% |
| Free throw %FT% | 87.2% | 62.2% |
| TurnoversTO | 3.5 | 2.3 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 51 | 5 |
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 | Walker Kessler |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 38.6 | 44.6 |
| Points | 23.9 | 16.8 |
| Rebounds | 4.4 | 12.0 |
| Assists | 5.5 | 2.3 |
| Steals | 1.1 | 1.4 |
| Blocks | 0.5 | 2.8 |
| Threes | 2.4 | 0.6 |
| Turnovers | 3.6 | 2.6 |
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 | Walker Kessler |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | +1.2 | -0.4 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.7 | +1.9 |
| AssistsAST | +0.8 | -0.9 |
| StealsSTL | +0.0 | +0.3 |
| BlocksBLK | -0.5 | +3.5 |
| Threes3PM | +0.6 | -1.2 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | +0.4 | +3.1 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +1.6 | -2.1 |
| TurnoversTO | -1.9 | -0.4 |
| Total | +1.7 | +3.7 |
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, blocks and field goal percentage flips the 9-cat answer to Austin Reaves.
| Punt | Austin Reaves | Walker Kessler |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | +0.4 (#46) | +4.0 (#7) |
| REB | +2.3 (#18) | +1.4 (#28) |
| AST | +0.8 (#36) | +4.5 (#8) |
| STL | +1.6 (#30) | +3.1 (#13) |
| BLK | +2.1 (#23) | -0.1 (#68) |
| 3PM | +0.8 (#41) | +4.9 (#5) |
| FG% | +1.4 (#37) | -0.2 (#60) |
| FT% | -0.1 (#62) | +5.8 (#4) |
| TO | +3.5 (#19) | +3.8 (#17) |
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.
- Walker Kessler: 4 games (Mon MIA, Wed @SAC, Fri POR, Sun @DET), 1 back-to-back.
Recent games
- Austin Reaves: 34.0 fantasy points a game over his last 8 of 2026-27, against 37.5 on the board.
- Walker Kessler: 38.2 fantasy points a game over his last 8 of 2026-27, against 38.0 on the board.
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Austin Reaves playing tonight? · Is Walker Kessler playing tonight?
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Austin Reaves or Walker Kessler?
Points leagues: Walker Kessler. 38.0 fantasy points per game against 37.5, 37th on our board to 39th. 9-cat leagues: Walker Kessler again, +3.7 in summed z-scores against +1.7 (12th to 29th).
Who wins more categories, Austin Reaves or Walker Kessler?
Category by category, Austin Reaves is ahead in 4 (PTS, AST, 3PM and FT%) and Walker Kessler in 5 (REB, STL, BLK, FG% and TO).
Who should I start in Week 3, Austin Reaves or Walker Kessler?
Austin Reaves plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Walker Kessler 4. For that week alone, start Walker Kessler: 152.0 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