Brook Lopez vs Ryan Kalkbrenner: who to start in Week 3
Brook Lopez plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Ryan Kalkbrenner 3. For that week alone, start Brook Lopez: 60.5 projected fantasy points to 56.4 for Ryan Kalkbrenner. Over the season, Brook Lopez leads in points leagues (20.2 fantasy points a game to 18.8) and Ryan Kalkbrenner in 9-cat leagues (169th against 179th). 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
- #213
- 20.2 FP/G, slot 18.09
- 9-cat leagues
- #179
- -3.1 z, slot 15.11
The pick in points leagues.
- Points leagues
- #238
- 18.8 FP/G, slot 20.10
- 9-cat leagues
- #169
- -2.8 z, slot 15.01
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Brook Lopez. 20.2 fantasy points per game against 18.8, 213th on our board to 238th.
9-cat leagues: Ryan Kalkbrenner instead, -2.8 in summed z-scores against -3.1 (169th to 179th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Brook Lopez is ahead in 5 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM and FT%) and Ryan Kalkbrenner in 4 (REB, BLK, FG% and TO).
Per 36 minutes, Ryan Kalkbrenner produces more: 34.0 fantasy points to 33.3, on 19.9 minutes a night against 21.8. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Brook Lopez plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Ryan Kalkbrenner 3. For that week alone, start Brook Lopez: 60.5 projected fantasy points to 56.4 for Ryan Kalkbrenner.
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 | Brook Lopez | Ryan Kalkbrenner |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 20.2 | 18.8 |
| Minutes | 21.8 | 19.9 |
| PointsPTS | 9.7 | 6.6 |
| ReboundsREB | 3.9 | 5.0 |
| AssistsAST | 1.2 | 1.1 |
| StealsSTL | 0.6 | 0.5 |
| BlocksBLK | 1.1 | 1.4 |
| Threes3PM | 1.5 | 0.0 |
| Field goal %FG% | 46.4% | 76.8% |
| Free throw %FT% | 79.1% | 72.0% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.0 | 0.9 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 75 | 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 | Brook Lopez | Ryan Kalkbrenner |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 33.3 | 34.0 |
| Points | 15.9 | 11.9 |
| Rebounds | 6.4 | 9.1 |
| Assists | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Steals | 0.9 | 0.8 |
| Blocks | 1.8 | 2.5 |
| Threes | 2.4 | 0.0 |
| Turnovers | 1.7 | 1.6 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
9-category z-scores
| Category | Brook Lopez | Ryan Kalkbrenner |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -1.2 | -1.8 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.8 | -0.3 |
| AssistsAST | -1.3 | -1.4 |
| StealsSTL | -1.3 | -1.6 |
| BlocksBLK | +0.9 | +1.3 |
| Threes3PM | -0.2 | -1.7 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.2 | +1.6 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -0.0 | -0.3 |
| TurnoversTO | +1.2 | +1.3 |
| Total | -3.1 | -2.8 |
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, blocks, field goal percentage and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to Brook Lopez.
| Punt | Brook Lopez | Ryan Kalkbrenner |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -1.9 (#163) | -1.0 (#112) |
| REB | -2.4 (#161) | -2.8 (#184) |
| AST | -1.9 (#144) | -1.5 (#128) |
| STL | -1.9 (#140) | -1.4 (#113) |
| BLK | -4.2 (#235) | -4.6 (#254) |
| 3PM | -2.8 (#184) | -1.0 (#97) |
| FG% | -3.1 (#168) | -5.0 (#248) |
| FT% | -3.1 (#188) | -2.4 (#162) |
| TO | -4.5 (#195) | -4.5 (#196) |
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)
- Brook Lopez: 3 games (Mon TOR, Wed MIA, Sun NOP), 1 back-to-back.
- Ryan Kalkbrenner: 3 games (Mon DET, Wed @BKN, Fri BOS).
Recent games
- Brook Lopez: 23.2 fantasy points a game over his last 7 of 2026-27, against 20.2 on the board.
- Ryan Kalkbrenner: 15.8 fantasy points a game over his last 8 of 2026-27, against 18.8 on the board.
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Brook Lopez playing tonight? · Is Ryan Kalkbrenner playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Ryan Kalkbrenner
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Brook Lopez or Ryan Kalkbrenner?
Points leagues: Brook Lopez. 20.2 fantasy points per game against 18.8, 213th on our board to 238th. 9-cat leagues: Ryan Kalkbrenner instead, -2.8 in summed z-scores against -3.1 (169th to 179th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Brook Lopez or Ryan Kalkbrenner?
Category by category, Brook Lopez is ahead in 5 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM and FT%) and Ryan Kalkbrenner in 4 (REB, BLK, FG% and TO).
Who should I start in Week 3, Brook Lopez or Ryan Kalkbrenner?
Brook Lopez plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Ryan Kalkbrenner 3. For that week alone, start Brook Lopez: 60.5 projected fantasy points to 56.4 for Ryan Kalkbrenner.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Nov 3, 2026 at 12:36 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number