Brook Lopez vs Dylan Cardwell: who to start in Week 2
Brook Lopez plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Dylan Cardwell 3. For that week alone, start Brook Lopez: 63.4 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Dylan Cardwell. Over the season, Dylan Cardwell leads in both formats: 22.3 fantasy points a game to 21.1, and 139th against 141st 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 27, 8:32 PM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #184
- 21.1 FP/G, slot 16.04
- 9-cat leagues
- #141
- -2.3 z, slot 12.09, $3
- Points leagues
- #160
- 22.3 FP/G, slot 14.04
- 9-cat leagues
- #139
- -2.2 z, slot 12.07, $3
Out (Calf)
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Dylan Cardwell. 22.3 fantasy points per game against 21.1, 160th on our board to 184th.
9-cat leagues: Dylan Cardwell again, -2.2 in summed z-scores against -2.3 (139th to 141st).
Category by category, Brook Lopez is ahead in 3 (PTS, 3PM and FT%) and Dylan Cardwell in 5 (REB, AST, STL, BLK and FG%).
Per 36 minutes, Dylan Cardwell produces more: 39.0 fantasy points to 34.5, on 20.6 minutes a night against 22.1. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Brook Lopez plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Dylan Cardwell 3. For that week alone, start Brook Lopez: 63.4 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Dylan Cardwell.
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 game | Brook Lopez | Dylan Cardwell |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 21.1 | 22.3 |
| Minutes | 22.1 | 20.6 |
| PointsPTS | 10.0 | 5.4 |
| ReboundsREB | 3.9 | 7.5 |
| AssistsAST | 1.2 | 1.4 |
| StealsSTL | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| BlocksBLK | 1.2 | 1.5 |
| Threes3PM | 1.6 | 0.0 |
| Field goal %FG% | 47.6% | 58.7% |
| Free throw %FT% | 77.4% | 51.0% |
| TurnoversTO | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 75 | 44 |
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 | Brook Lopez | Dylan Cardwell |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 34.5 | 39.0 |
| Points | 16.4 | 9.4 |
| Rebounds | 6.4 | 13.2 |
| Assists | 2.0 | 2.5 |
| Steals | 0.9 | 1.2 |
| Blocks | 2.0 | 2.7 |
| Threes | 2.6 | 0.1 |
| Turnovers | 1.5 | 1.5 |
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
| Category | Brook Lopez | Dylan Cardwell |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -1.1 | -1.9 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.8 | +0.9 |
| AssistsAST | -1.2 | -1.1 |
| StealsSTL | -1.3 | -0.9 |
| BlocksBLK | +1.2 | +1.8 |
| Threes3PM | -0.1 | -1.7 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.1 | +0.7 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -0.1 | -1.1 |
| TurnoversTO | +1.2 | +1.2 |
| Total | -2.3 | -2.2 |
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 and field goal percentage flips the 9-cat answer to Brook Lopez.
| Punt | Brook Lopez | Dylan Cardwell |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -1.2 (#115) | -0.2 (#64) |
| REB | -1.6 (#120) | -3.4 (#211) |
| AST | -1.1 (#100) | -1.0 (#92) |
| STL | -1.1 (#103) | -1.3 (#113) |
| BLK | -3.6 (#199) | -4.3 (#233) |
| 3PM | -2.2 (#146) | -0.4 (#75) |
| FG% | -2.3 (#134) | -3.5 (#180) |
| FT% | -2.2 (#147) | -1.0 (#98) |
| TO | -3.5 (#159) | -3.5 (#158) |
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 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1)
- Brook Lopez: 3 games (Wed LAL, Fri @MIN, Sun @GSW).
- Dylan Cardwell: 3 games (Tue @SAS, Thu @NOP, Sat @MEM), listed Out.
Recent games
- Brook Lopez: 30.6 fantasy points a game over his last 3 of 2026-27, against 21.1 on the board.
- Dylan Cardwell: 23.3 fantasy points a game over his last 10 of 2025-26, against 22.3 on the board.
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Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Brook Lopez playing tonight? · Is Dylan Cardwell playing tonight?
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Brook Lopez or Dylan Cardwell?
Points leagues: Dylan Cardwell. 22.3 fantasy points per game against 21.1, 160th on our board to 184th. 9-cat leagues: Dylan Cardwell again, -2.2 in summed z-scores against -2.3 (139th to 141st).
Who wins more categories, Brook Lopez or Dylan Cardwell?
Category by category, Brook Lopez is ahead in 3 (PTS, 3PM and FT%) and Dylan Cardwell in 5 (REB, AST, STL, BLK and FG%).
Who should I start in Week 2, Brook Lopez or Dylan Cardwell?
Brook Lopez plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Dylan Cardwell 3. For that week alone, start Brook Lopez: 63.4 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Dylan Cardwell.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 27, 2026 at 8:32 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number