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Bam Adebayo vs Dyson Daniels: who to start in Week 1

Bam Adebayo plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Dyson Daniels 3. For that week alone, start Bam Adebayo: 121.6 projected fantasy points to 104.3 for Dyson Daniels. Over the season, Bam Adebayo leads in both formats: 40.5 fantasy points a game to 34.8, and 30th against 31st 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, 8:57 AM ET.

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Bam Adebayo
CPFMIAage 29
Points leagues
#24
40.5 FP/G, slot 2.12, $27
9-cat leagues
#30
+1.7 z, slot 3.06, $24

The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.

Dyson Daniels
SGSFATLage 23
Points leagues
#50
34.8 FP/G, slot 5.02, $19
9-cat leagues
#31
+1.6 z, slot 3.07, $24

The call

Points leagues: Bam Adebayo. 40.5 fantasy points per game against 34.8, 24th on our board to 50th.

9-cat leagues: Bam Adebayo again, +1.7 in summed z-scores against +1.6 (30th to 31st).

Category by category, Bam Adebayo is ahead in 6 (PTS, REB, BLK, 3PM, FT% and TO) and Dyson Daniels in 3 (AST, STL and FG%).

Per 36 minutes, Bam Adebayo produces more: 45.2 fantasy points to 37.6, on 32.3 minutes a night against 33.3. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.

Bam Adebayo plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Dyson Daniels 3. For that week alone, start Bam Adebayo: 121.6 projected fantasy points to 104.3 for Dyson Daniels.

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.

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Per game, side by side

Per gameBam AdebayoDyson Daniels
Fantasy points per game40.534.8
Minutes32.333.3
PointsPTS19.812.4
ReboundsREB9.86.7
AssistsAST3.25.7
StealsSTL1.32.1
BlocksBLK0.60.4
Threes3PM1.70.3
Field goal %FG%44.5%52.5%
Free throw %FT%77.4%62.5%
TurnoversTO1.71.8
Games, 2025-267376

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 36Bam AdebayoDyson Daniels
Fantasy points45.237.6
Points22.113.4
Rebounds11.07.2
Assists3.66.2
Steals1.42.3
Blocks0.70.4
Threes1.90.3
Turnovers1.91.9

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

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9-category z-scores

CategoryBam AdebayoDyson Daniels
PointsPTS+0.6-0.7
ReboundsREB+1.8+0.4
AssistsAST-0.2+1.1
StealsSTL+0.8+3.2
BlocksBLK-0.1-0.6
Threes3PM+0.1-1.4
Field goal percentageFG%-1.1+0.6
Free throw percentageFT%-0.4-1.0
TurnoversTO+0.2+0.1
Total+1.7+1.6

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, blocks, threes, free throw percentage and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to Dyson Daniels.

PuntBam AdebayoDyson Daniels
PTS+1.0 (#33)+2.2 (#15)
REB-0.4 (#71)+1.0 (#37)
AST+1.8 (#25)+0.5 (#43)
STL+0.9 (#39)-1.6 (#123)
BLK+1.5 (#32)+2.1 (#26)
3PM+1.5 (#32)+2.9 (#12)
FG%+2.4 (#24)+0.5 (#51)
FT%+2.1 (#25)+2.7 (#16)
TO+1.5 (#40)+1.6 (#38)

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)

  • Bam Adebayo: 3 games (Wed MIN, Fri DET, Sat @CHA), 1 back-to-back.
  • Dyson Daniels: 3 games (Wed @ORL, Fri @CHA, Sat HOU), 1 back-to-back.

Every team's games this week · Week 1 streamers

Recent games

  • Bam Adebayo: 36.4 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 40.5 on the board.
  • Dyson Daniels: 42.3 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 34.8 on the board.

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Other picks at the same spot

NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers

Is Bam Adebayo playing tonight? · Is Dyson Daniels playing tonight?

Common questions

  • Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Bam Adebayo or Dyson Daniels?

    Points leagues: Bam Adebayo. 40.5 fantasy points per game against 34.8, 24th on our board to 50th. 9-cat leagues: Bam Adebayo again, +1.7 in summed z-scores against +1.6 (30th to 31st).

  • Who wins more categories, Bam Adebayo or Dyson Daniels?

    Category by category, Bam Adebayo is ahead in 6 (PTS, REB, BLK, 3PM, FT% and TO) and Dyson Daniels in 3 (AST, STL and FG%).

  • Who should I start in Week 1, Bam Adebayo or Dyson Daniels?

    Bam Adebayo plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Dyson Daniels 3. For that week alone, start Bam Adebayo: 121.6 projected fantasy points to 104.3 for Dyson Daniels.

By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 22, 2026 at 8:57 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number