Brandon Williams vs Jaylen Wells: who to start in Week 1
Brandon Williams plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Jaylen Wells 3. For that week alone, start Brandon Williams: 73.6 projected fantasy points to 64.0 for Jaylen Wells. Over the season, Brandon Williams leads in points leagues (24.5 fantasy points a game to 21.3) and Jaylen Wells in 9-cat leagues (207th against 209th). 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, 1:54 PM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
Parlae may earn a commission from price links.
- Points leagues
- #142
- 24.5 FP/G, slot 12.10, $3
- 9-cat leagues
- #209
- -3.9 z, slot 18.05
The pick in points leagues.
- Points leagues
- #187
- 21.3 FP/G, slot 16.07
- 9-cat leagues
- #207
- -3.8 z, slot 18.03
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Brandon Williams. 24.5 fantasy points per game against 21.3, 142nd on our board to 187th.
9-cat leagues: Jaylen Wells instead, -3.8 in summed z-scores against -3.9 (207th to 209th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Brandon Williams is ahead in 5 (PTS, AST, BLK, FG% and FT%) and Jaylen Wells in 3 (REB, 3PM and TO).
Per 36 minutes, Brandon Williams produces more: 40.3 fantasy points to 29.0, on 21.9 minutes a night against 26.5. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Brandon Williams plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Jaylen Wells 3. For that week alone, start Brandon Williams: 73.6 projected fantasy points to 64.0 for Jaylen Wells.
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 | Brandon Williams | Jaylen Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 24.5 | 21.3 |
| Minutes | 21.9 | 26.5 |
| PointsPTS | 13.1 | 12.5 |
| ReboundsREB | 3.0 | 3.3 |
| AssistsAST | 3.8 | 1.5 |
| StealsSTL | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.3 | 0.1 |
| Threes3PM | 0.6 | 1.8 |
| Field goal %FG% | 45.4% | 43.5% |
| Free throw %FT% | 81.2% | 75.0% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.9 | 1.0 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 66 | 69 |
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 | Brandon Williams | Jaylen Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 40.3 | 29.0 |
| Points | 21.5 | 17.0 |
| Rebounds | 4.9 | 4.5 |
| Assists | 6.3 | 2.0 |
| Steals | 1.8 | 1.5 |
| Blocks | 0.5 | 0.2 |
| Threes | 0.9 | 2.5 |
| Turnovers | 3.1 | 1.4 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
Advertisement
9-category z-scores
| Category | Brandon Williams | Jaylen Wells |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -0.6 | -0.7 |
| ReboundsREB | -1.3 | -1.1 |
| AssistsAST | +0.1 | -1.1 |
| StealsSTL | +0.1 | +0.2 |
| BlocksBLK | -0.8 | -1.1 |
| Threes3PM | -1.1 | +0.2 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.5 | -0.9 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.2 | -0.4 |
| TurnoversTO | -0.1 | +1.1 |
| Total | -3.9 | -3.8 |
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, threes and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to Brandon Williams.
| Punt | Brandon Williams | Jaylen Wells |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -3.3 (#237) | -3.2 (#231) |
| REB | -2.9 (#184) | -2.9 (#186) |
| AST | -4.1 (#246) | -2.8 (#191) |
| STL | -4.1 (#244) | -4.1 (#242) |
| BLK | -3.3 (#184) | -2.9 (#167) |
| 3PM | -2.8 (#175) | -4.1 (#226) |
| FG% | -3.8 (#201) | -3.3 (#168) |
| FT% | -4.1 (#226) | -3.5 (#198) |
| TO | -3.9 (#172) | -5.0 (#212) |
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)
- Brandon Williams: 3 games (Wed @LAL, Fri MEM, Sat @PHX), 1 back-to-back.
- Jaylen Wells: 3 games (Wed UTA, Fri @GSW, Sun @SAC).
Recent games
- Brandon Williams: 30.3 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 24.5 on the board.
- Jaylen Wells: 30.0 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 21.3 on the board.
Advertisement
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Brandon Williams playing tonight? · Is Jaylen Wells playing tonight?
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Brandon Williams or Jaylen Wells?
Points leagues: Brandon Williams. 24.5 fantasy points per game against 21.3, 142nd on our board to 187th. 9-cat leagues: Jaylen Wells instead, -3.8 in summed z-scores against -3.9 (207th to 209th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Brandon Williams or Jaylen Wells?
Category by category, Brandon Williams is ahead in 5 (PTS, AST, BLK, FG% and FT%) and Jaylen Wells in 3 (REB, 3PM and TO).
Who should I start in Week 1, Brandon Williams or Jaylen Wells?
Brandon Williams plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Jaylen Wells 3. For that week alone, start Brandon Williams: 73.6 projected fantasy points to 64.0 for Jaylen Wells.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 22, 2026 at 1:54 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number