Brandin Podziemski vs Derik Queen: who to start in Week 3
Brandin Podziemski plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Derik Queen 4. For that week alone, start Derik Queen: 112.9 projected fantasy points to 88.1 for Brandin Podziemski. Over the season, Brandin Podziemski leads in both formats: 29.4 fantasy points a game to 28.2, and 99th against 138th 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
- #99
- 29.4 FP/G, slot 9.03, $9
- 9-cat leagues
- #99
- -1.3 z, slot 9.03, $8
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #111
- 28.2 FP/G, slot 10.03, $7
- 9-cat leagues
- #138
- -2.1 z, slot 12.06, $3
The call
Points leagues: Brandin Podziemski. 29.4 fantasy points per game against 28.2, 99th on our board to 111th.
9-cat leagues: Brandin Podziemski again, -1.3 in summed z-scores against -2.1 (99th to 138th).
Category by category, Brandin Podziemski is ahead in 5 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM and TO) and Derik Queen in 4 (REB, BLK, FG% and FT%).
Per 36 minutes, Derik Queen produces more: 41.3 fantasy points to 35.6, on 24.6 minutes a night against 29.7. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Brandin Podziemski plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Derik Queen 4. For that week alone, start Derik Queen: 112.9 projected fantasy points to 88.1 for Brandin Podziemski.
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 | Brandin Podziemski | Derik Queen |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 29.4 | 28.2 |
| Minutes | 29.7 | 24.6 |
| PointsPTS | 14.5 | 11.6 |
| ReboundsREB | 5.2 | 7.3 |
| AssistsAST | 4.2 | 3.2 |
| StealsSTL | 1.1 | 1.0 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.2 | 0.8 |
| Threes3PM | 1.9 | 0.3 |
| Field goal %FG% | 45.7% | 48.5% |
| Free throw %FT% | 76.8% | 82.1% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.6 | 2.4 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 82 | 81 |
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 | Brandin Podziemski | Derik Queen |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 35.6 | 41.3 |
| Points | 17.5 | 16.9 |
| Rebounds | 6.3 | 10.7 |
| Assists | 5.1 | 4.8 |
| Steals | 1.3 | 1.5 |
| Blocks | 0.3 | 1.2 |
| Threes | 2.4 | 0.4 |
| Turnovers | 1.9 | 3.5 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
9-category z-scores
| Category | Brandin Podziemski | Derik Queen |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -0.4 | -0.9 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.3 | +0.6 |
| AssistsAST | +0.2 | -0.3 |
| StealsSTL | +0.1 | -0.1 |
| BlocksBLK | -0.9 | +0.2 |
| Threes3PM | +0.3 | -1.4 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.4 | +0.0 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -0.3 | +0.2 |
| TurnoversTO | +0.4 | -0.5 |
| Total | -1.3 | -2.1 |
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 threes and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to Derik Queen.
| Punt | Brandin Podziemski | Derik Queen |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -0.9 (#102) | -1.2 (#118) |
| REB | -1.1 (#98) | -2.9 (#189) |
| AST | -1.6 (#132) | -1.9 (#145) |
| STL | -1.5 (#115) | -2.0 (#149) |
| BLK | -0.5 (#80) | -2.6 (#156) |
| 3PM | -1.5 (#121) | -0.7 (#78) |
| FG% | -1.0 (#91) | -2.5 (#141) |
| FT% | -1.0 (#96) | -2.3 (#158) |
| TO | -1.8 (#107) | -1.7 (#104) |
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)
- Brandin Podziemski: 3 games (Mon PHX, Thu MIA, Sat ORL), 1 back-to-back.
- Derik Queen: 4 games (Mon @MEM, Wed UTA, Fri MIN, Sun @LAC).
Recent games
- Brandin Podziemski: 31.6 fantasy points a game over his last 6 of 2026-27, against 29.4 on the board.
- Derik Queen: 28.4 fantasy points a game over his last 7 of 2026-27, against 28.2 on the board.
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Brandin Podziemski playing tonight? · Is Derik Queen playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Brandin Podziemski, Derik Queen
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Brandin Podziemski or Derik Queen?
Points leagues: Brandin Podziemski. 29.4 fantasy points per game against 28.2, 99th on our board to 111th. 9-cat leagues: Brandin Podziemski again, -1.3 in summed z-scores against -2.1 (99th to 138th).
Who wins more categories, Brandin Podziemski or Derik Queen?
Category by category, Brandin Podziemski is ahead in 5 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM and TO) and Derik Queen in 4 (REB, BLK, FG% and FT%).
Who should I start in Week 3, Brandin Podziemski or Derik Queen?
Brandin Podziemski plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Derik Queen 4. For that week alone, start Derik Queen: 112.9 projected fantasy points to 88.1 for Brandin Podziemski.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Nov 3, 2026 at 12:36 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number