Brook Lopez vs Zaccharie Risacher: who to start in Week 1
Brook Lopez plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Zaccharie Risacher 3. For that week alone, start Brook Lopez: 63.2 projected fantasy points to 62.3 for Zaccharie Risacher. Over the season, Brook Lopez leads in both formats: 21.1 fantasy points a game to 20.8, and 146th against 171st 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, 8:28 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
Parlae may earn a commission from price links.
- Points leagues
- #190
- 21.1 FP/G, slot 16.10
- 9-cat leagues
- #146
- -2.2 z, slot 13.02, $2
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #191
- 20.8 FP/G, slot 16.11
- 9-cat leagues
- #171
- -3.0 z, slot 15.03
The call
Points leagues: Brook Lopez. 21.1 fantasy points per game against 20.8, 190th on our board to 191st.
9-cat leagues: Brook Lopez again, -2.2 in summed z-scores against -3.0 (146th to 171st).
Category by category, Brook Lopez is ahead in 5 (PTS, BLK, 3PM, FG% and FT%) and Zaccharie Risacher in 1 (STL).
Per 36 minutes, Brook Lopez produces more: 34.5 fantasy points to 31.5, on 22.0 minutes a night against 23.8. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Brook Lopez plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Zaccharie Risacher 3. For that week alone, start Brook Lopez: 63.2 projected fantasy points to 62.3 for Zaccharie Risacher.
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 | Brook Lopez | Zaccharie Risacher |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 21.1 | 20.8 |
| Minutes | 22.0 | 23.8 |
| PointsPTS | 9.8 | 9.4 |
| ReboundsREB | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| AssistsAST | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| StealsSTL | 0.6 | 1.1 |
| BlocksBLK | 1.3 | 0.7 |
| Threes3PM | 1.5 | 1.3 |
| Field goal %FG% | 47.4% | 44.3% |
| Free throw %FT% | 78.9% | 70.3% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.0 | 0.9 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 75 | 67 |
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 | Zaccharie Risacher |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 34.5 | 31.5 |
| Points | 16.0 | 14.3 |
| Rebounds | 6.7 | 6.2 |
| Assists | 2.0 | 1.9 |
| Steals | 1.0 | 1.7 |
| Blocks | 2.1 | 1.1 |
| Threes | 2.5 | 2.0 |
| Turnovers | 1.6 | 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 | Brook Lopez | Zaccharie Risacher |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -1.1 | -1.2 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.7 | -0.7 |
| AssistsAST | -1.2 | -1.2 |
| StealsSTL | -1.2 | +0.3 |
| BlocksBLK | +1.2 | +0.1 |
| Threes3PM | -0.1 | -0.4 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.1 | -0.6 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -0.0 | -0.4 |
| TurnoversTO | +1.1 | +1.1 |
| Total | -2.2 | -3.0 |
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 blocks flips the 9-cat answer to Zaccharie Risacher.
| Punt | Brook Lopez | Zaccharie Risacher |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -1.1 (#115) | -1.8 (#154) |
| REB | -1.6 (#122) | -2.4 (#163) |
| AST | -1.1 (#104) | -1.9 (#140) |
| STL | -1.2 (#106) | -3.3 (#204) |
| BLK | -3.7 (#204) | -3.3 (#184) |
| 3PM | -2.1 (#146) | -2.6 (#173) |
| FG% | -2.2 (#132) | -2.7 (#149) |
| FT% | -2.3 (#149) | -2.6 (#161) |
| TO | -3.5 (#158) | -4.3 (#186) |
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)
- Brook Lopez: 3 games (Wed SAC, Fri @LAL, Sun @OKC).
- Zaccharie Risacher: 3 games (Wed @HOU, Fri @IND, Sat SAS), 1 back-to-back.
Recent games
- Brook Lopez: 34.8 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 21.1 on the board.
- Zaccharie Risacher: 28.2 fantasy points a game over his last 3 of 2026-27, against 20.8 on the board.
Advertisement
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Brook Lopez playing tonight? · Is Zaccharie Risacher playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Zaccharie Risacher
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Brook Lopez or Zaccharie Risacher?
Points leagues: Brook Lopez. 21.1 fantasy points per game against 20.8, 190th on our board to 191st. 9-cat leagues: Brook Lopez again, -2.2 in summed z-scores against -3.0 (146th to 171st).
Who wins more categories, Brook Lopez or Zaccharie Risacher?
Category by category, Brook Lopez is ahead in 5 (PTS, BLK, 3PM, FG% and FT%) and Zaccharie Risacher in 1 (STL).
Who should I start in Week 1, Brook Lopez or Zaccharie Risacher?
Brook Lopez plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Zaccharie Risacher 3. For that week alone, start Brook Lopez: 63.2 projected fantasy points to 62.3 for Zaccharie Risacher.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 25, 2026 at 8:28 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number