Bam Adebayo vs James Harden: who to start in Week 3
Bam Adebayo plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), James Harden 4. For that week alone, start Bam Adebayo: 159.0 projected fantasy points to 157.8 for James Harden. Over the season, Bam Adebayo leads in both formats: 39.7 fantasy points a game to 39.5, and 30th against 33rd 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
- #27
- 39.7 FP/G, slot 3.03, $26
- 9-cat leagues
- #30
- +1.6 z, slot 3.06, $25
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #29
- 39.5 FP/G, slot 3.05, $25
- 9-cat leagues
- #33
- +1.2 z, slot 3.09, $23
The call
Points leagues: Bam Adebayo. 39.7 fantasy points per game against 39.5, 27th on our board to 29th.
9-cat leagues: Bam Adebayo again, +1.6 in summed z-scores against +1.2 (30th to 33rd).
Category by category, Bam Adebayo is ahead in 5 (REB, STL, BLK, FG% and TO) and James Harden in 4 (PTS, AST, 3PM and FT%).
Per 36 minutes, Bam Adebayo produces more: 44.5 fantasy points to 41.2, on 32.1 minutes a night against 34.5. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Bam Adebayo plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), James Harden 4. For that week alone, start Bam Adebayo: 159.0 projected fantasy points to 157.8 for James Harden.
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 | Bam Adebayo | James Harden |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 39.7 | 39.5 |
| Minutes | 32.1 | 34.5 |
| PointsPTS | 19.0 | 21.6 |
| ReboundsREB | 9.4 | 4.8 |
| AssistsAST | 3.2 | 7.5 |
| StealsSTL | 1.5 | 1.0 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.6 | 0.4 |
| Threes3PM | 1.4 | 2.9 |
| Field goal %FG% | 45.4% | 42.0% |
| Free throw %FT% | 77.8% | 87.5% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.8 | 3.5 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 73 | 70 |
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 | Bam Adebayo | James Harden |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 44.5 | 41.2 |
| Points | 21.3 | 22.6 |
| Rebounds | 10.5 | 5.0 |
| Assists | 3.6 | 7.8 |
| Steals | 1.7 | 1.1 |
| Blocks | 0.7 | 0.4 |
| Threes | 1.6 | 3.0 |
| Turnovers | 2.0 | 3.6 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
9-category z-scores
| Category | Bam Adebayo | James Harden |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | +0.4 | +0.9 |
| ReboundsREB | +1.5 | -0.4 |
| AssistsAST | -0.3 | +1.9 |
| StealsSTL | +1.2 | -0.0 |
| BlocksBLK | -0.1 | -0.6 |
| Threes3PM | -0.3 | +1.3 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.6 | -1.5 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -0.4 | +1.6 |
| TurnoversTO | +0.2 | -1.9 |
| Total | +1.6 | +1.2 |
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, steals, blocks, field goal percentage and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to James Harden.
| Punt | Bam Adebayo | James Harden |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | +1.1 (#29) | +0.3 (#49) |
| REB | -0.1 (#64) | +1.8 (#24) |
| AST | +1.7 (#25) | -0.7 (#78) |
| STL | +0.4 (#47) | +1.3 (#32) |
| BLK | +1.5 (#30) | +1.9 (#24) |
| 3PM | +1.9 (#28) | -0.2 (#60) |
| FG% | +1.9 (#33) | +2.9 (#19) |
| FT% | +2.0 (#25) | -0.5 (#76) |
| TO | +1.4 (#40) | +3.2 (#20) |
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)
- Bam Adebayo: 4 games (Mon @LAL, Wed @LAC, Thu @GSW, Sun @SAC), 1 back-to-back.
- James Harden: 4 games (Mon OKC, Wed @OKC, Fri PHI, Sat NYK), 1 back-to-back.
Recent games
- Bam Adebayo: 36.9 fantasy points a game over his last 7 of 2026-27, against 39.7 on the board.
- James Harden: 31.8 fantasy points a game over his last 7 of 2026-27, against 39.5 on the board.
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Bam Adebayo playing tonight? · Is James Harden playing tonight?
Rookie cards: James Harden
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Bam Adebayo or James Harden?
Points leagues: Bam Adebayo. 39.7 fantasy points per game against 39.5, 27th on our board to 29th. 9-cat leagues: Bam Adebayo again, +1.6 in summed z-scores against +1.2 (30th to 33rd).
Who wins more categories, Bam Adebayo or James Harden?
Category by category, Bam Adebayo is ahead in 5 (REB, STL, BLK, FG% and TO) and James Harden in 4 (PTS, AST, 3PM and FT%).
Who should I start in Week 3, Bam Adebayo or James Harden?
Bam Adebayo plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), James Harden 4. For that week alone, start Bam Adebayo: 159.0 projected fantasy points to 157.8 for James Harden.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Nov 3, 2026 at 12:36 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number