Brandin Podziemski vs Keegan Murray: who to start in Week 1
Brandin Podziemski plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Keegan Murray 3. For that week alone, start Keegan Murray: 84.2 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Brandin Podziemski. Over the season, Keegan Murray leads in both formats: 28.1 fantasy points a game to 28.0, and 100th against 103rd 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 25, 4:28 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
Parlae may earn a commission from price links.
- Points leagues
- #100
- 28.0 FP/G, slot 9.04, $9
- 9-cat leagues
- #103
- -1.4 z, slot 9.07, $7
Out (Back)
- Points leagues
- #99
- 28.1 FP/G, slot 9.03, $9
- 9-cat leagues
- #100
- -1.3 z, slot 9.04, $8
Game-time decision (Ankle)
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Keegan Murray. 28.1 fantasy points per game against 28.0, 99th on our board to 100th.
9-cat leagues: Keegan Murray again, -1.3 in summed z-scores against -1.4 (100th to 103rd).
Category by category, Brandin Podziemski is ahead in 6 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM, FG% and FT%) and Keegan Murray in 3 (REB, BLK and TO).
Per 36 minutes, Brandin Podziemski produces more: 35.1 fantasy points to 30.1, on 28.7 minutes a night against 33.6. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Brandin Podziemski plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Keegan Murray 3. For that week alone, start Keegan Murray: 84.2 projected fantasy points to 0.0 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.
Advertisement
Per game, side by side
| Per game | Brandin Podziemski | Keegan Murray |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 28.0 | 28.1 |
| Minutes | 28.7 | 33.6 |
| PointsPTS | 14.1 | 13.1 |
| ReboundsREB | 4.9 | 5.4 |
| AssistsAST | 3.7 | 1.5 |
| StealsSTL | 1.2 | 1.0 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.2 | 1.4 |
| Threes3PM | 1.9 | 1.2 |
| Field goal %FG% | 45.1% | 41.0% |
| Free throw %FT% | 80.6% | 80.0% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.7 | 1.1 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 82 | 23 |
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 | Keegan Murray |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 35.1 | 30.1 |
| Points | 17.6 | 14.1 |
| Rebounds | 6.2 | 5.8 |
| Assists | 4.6 | 1.6 |
| Steals | 1.5 | 1.1 |
| Blocks | 0.3 | 1.5 |
| Threes | 2.3 | 1.3 |
| Turnovers | 2.2 | 1.2 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
Advertisement
9-category z-scores
| Category | Brandin Podziemski | Keegan Murray |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -0.4 | -0.6 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.4 | -0.1 |
| AssistsAST | +0.0 | -1.1 |
| StealsSTL | +0.4 | +0.0 |
| BlocksBLK | -0.9 | +1.5 |
| Threes3PM | +0.2 | -0.5 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.6 | -1.6 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.1 | +0.0 |
| TurnoversTO | +0.1 | +1.0 |
| Total | -1.4 | -1.3 |
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 turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to Brandin Podziemski.
| Punt | Brandin Podziemski | Keegan Murray |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -1.0 (#107) | -0.8 (#97) |
| REB | -1.1 (#99) | -1.4 (#114) |
| AST | -1.5 (#123) | -0.3 (#65) |
| STL | -1.9 (#137) | -1.5 (#121) |
| BLK | -0.6 (#76) | -3.0 (#168) |
| 3PM | -1.7 (#124) | -0.9 (#90) |
| FG% | -0.9 (#83) | +0.1 (#59) |
| FT% | -1.5 (#116) | -1.4 (#111) |
| TO | -1.6 (#98) | -2.4 (#119) |
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 392 ranked players.
Week 1 (Oct 19-25)
- Brandin Podziemski: 3 games (Wed @LAL, Fri MEM, Sat @PHX), 1 back-to-back, listed Out.
- Keegan Murray: 3 games (Wed @LAC, Fri POR, Sun MEM), listed GTD.
Recent games
- Brandin Podziemski: 32.9 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 28.0 on the board.
- Keegan Murray: 13.8 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 28.1 on the board.
Advertisement
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Brandin Podziemski playing tonight? · Is Keegan Murray playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Brandin Podziemski
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Brandin Podziemski or Keegan Murray?
Points leagues: Keegan Murray. 28.1 fantasy points per game against 28.0, 99th on our board to 100th. 9-cat leagues: Keegan Murray again, -1.3 in summed z-scores against -1.4 (100th to 103rd).
Who wins more categories, Brandin Podziemski or Keegan Murray?
Category by category, Brandin Podziemski is ahead in 6 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM, FG% and FT%) and Keegan Murray in 3 (REB, BLK and TO).
Who should I start in Week 1, Brandin Podziemski or Keegan Murray?
Brandin Podziemski plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Keegan Murray 3. For that week alone, start Keegan Murray: 84.2 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Brandin Podziemski.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 25, 2026 at 4:28 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number