Brook Lopez vs Steven Adams: who to start in Week 3
Brook Lopez plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Steven Adams 3. For that week alone, start Brook Lopez: 60.5 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Steven Adams. Over the season, Steven Adams leads in points leagues (20.5 fantasy points a game to 20.2) and Brook Lopez in 9-cat leagues (179th against 281st). 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 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #205
- 20.5 FP/G, slot 18.01
- 9-cat leagues
- #281
- -5.4 z, slot 24.05
Out (Calf)
The pick in points leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Steven Adams. 20.5 fantasy points per game against 20.2, 205th on our board to 213th.
9-cat leagues: Brook Lopez instead, -3.1 in summed z-scores against -5.4 (179th to 281st), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Brook Lopez is ahead in 4 (PTS, BLK, 3PM and FT%) and Steven Adams in 4 (REB, AST, STL and FG%).
Per 36 minutes, Steven Adams produces more: 33.6 fantasy points to 33.3, on 21.9 minutes a night against 21.8. He already plays as much or more, so the gap is not a role waiting to grow.
Brook Lopez plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Steven Adams 3. For that week alone, start Brook Lopez: 60.5 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Steven Adams.
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 | Steven Adams |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 20.2 | 20.5 |
| Minutes | 21.8 | 21.9 |
| PointsPTS | 9.7 | 5.7 |
| ReboundsREB | 3.9 | 8.2 |
| AssistsAST | 1.2 | 1.5 |
| StealsSTL | 0.6 | 0.6 |
| BlocksBLK | 1.1 | 0.6 |
| Threes3PM | 1.5 | 0.0 |
| Field goal %FG% | 46.4% | 51.8% |
| Free throw %FT% | 79.1% | 58.0% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 75 | 32 |
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 | Steven Adams |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 33.3 | 33.6 |
| Points | 15.9 | 9.4 |
| Rebounds | 6.4 | 13.5 |
| Assists | 2.0 | 2.4 |
| Steals | 0.9 | 1.1 |
| Blocks | 1.8 | 1.0 |
| Threes | 2.4 | 0.0 |
| Turnovers | 1.7 | 1.7 |
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 | Steven Adams |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -1.2 | -1.9 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.8 | +1.0 |
| AssistsAST | -1.3 | -1.2 |
| StealsSTL | -1.3 | -1.1 |
| BlocksBLK | +0.9 | -0.2 |
| Threes3PM | -0.2 | -1.7 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.2 | +0.2 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -0.0 | -1.7 |
| TurnoversTO | +1.2 | +1.2 |
| Total | -3.1 | -5.4 |
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
No punt changes the answer: Brook Lopez stays ahead whichever category you give up.
| Punt | Brook Lopez | Steven Adams |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -1.9 (#163) | -3.4 (#253) |
| REB | -2.4 (#161) | -6.8 (#395) |
| AST | -1.9 (#144) | -4.3 (#273) |
| STL | -1.9 (#140) | -4.4 (#274) |
| BLK | -4.2 (#235) | -5.7 (#318) |
| 3PM | -2.8 (#184) | -3.4 (#209) |
| FG% | -3.1 (#168) | -6.4 (#322) |
| FT% | -3.1 (#188) | -3.6 (#208) |
| TO | -4.5 (#195) | -6.8 (#280) |
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.
- Steven Adams: 3 games (Mon BOS, Wed MIN, Sat @PHX), listed Out.
Recent games
- Brook Lopez: 23.2 fantasy points a game over his last 7 of 2026-27, against 20.2 on the board.
- Steven Adams: 7.9 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 20.5 on the board.
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Brook Lopez playing tonight? · Is Steven Adams playing tonight?
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Brook Lopez or Steven Adams?
Points leagues: Steven Adams. 20.5 fantasy points per game against 20.2, 205th on our board to 213th. 9-cat leagues: Brook Lopez instead, -3.1 in summed z-scores against -5.4 (179th to 281st), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Brook Lopez or Steven Adams?
Category by category, Brook Lopez is ahead in 4 (PTS, BLK, 3PM and FT%) and Steven Adams in 4 (REB, AST, STL and FG%).
Who should I start in Week 3, Brook Lopez or Steven Adams?
Brook Lopez plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Steven Adams 3. For that week alone, start Brook Lopez: 60.5 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Steven Adams.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Nov 3, 2026 at 12:36 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number