Cam Spencer vs Ryan Kalkbrenner: who to start in Week 1
Cam Spencer plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Ryan Kalkbrenner 3. For that week alone, start Cam Spencer: 67.3 projected fantasy points to 60.4 for Ryan Kalkbrenner. Over the season, Cam Spencer leads in points leagues (22.4 fantasy points a game to 20.1) and Ryan Kalkbrenner in 9-cat leagues (134th against 135th). 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 24, 2:26 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #160
- 22.4 FP/G, slot 14.04
- 9-cat leagues
- #135
- -2.1 z, slot 12.03, $3
The pick in points leagues.
- Points leagues
- #206
- 20.1 FP/G, slot 18.02
- 9-cat leagues
- #134
- -2.1 z, slot 12.02, $3
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Cam Spencer. 22.4 fantasy points per game against 20.1, 160th on our board to 206th.
9-cat leagues: Ryan Kalkbrenner instead, -2.1 in summed z-scores against -2.1 (134th to 135th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Cam Spencer is ahead in 5 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM and FT%) and Ryan Kalkbrenner in 4 (REB, BLK, FG% and TO).
Per 36 minutes, Cam Spencer produces more: 35.2 fantasy points to 34.5, on 22.9 minutes a night against 21.0. He already plays as much or more, so the gap is not a role waiting to grow.
Cam Spencer plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Ryan Kalkbrenner 3. For that week alone, start Cam Spencer: 67.3 projected fantasy points to 60.4 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.
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Per game, side by side
| Per game | Cam Spencer | Ryan Kalkbrenner |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 22.4 | 20.1 |
| Minutes | 22.9 | 21.0 |
| PointsPTS | 10.6 | 7.3 |
| ReboundsREB | 2.5 | 5.4 |
| AssistsAST | 5.1 | 0.9 |
| StealsSTL | 0.7 | 0.4 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.1 | 1.5 |
| Threes3PM | 2.0 | 0.0 |
| Field goal %FG% | 47.1% | 74.9% |
| Free throw %FT% | 94.0% | 71.6% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.3 | 0.9 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 72 | 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 | Cam Spencer | Ryan Kalkbrenner |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 35.2 | 34.5 |
| Points | 16.6 | 12.6 |
| Rebounds | 4.0 | 9.3 |
| Assists | 8.0 | 1.6 |
| Steals | 1.1 | 0.7 |
| Blocks | 0.2 | 2.6 |
| Threes | 3.2 | 0.0 |
| Turnovers | 2.1 | 1.6 |
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 | Cam Spencer | Ryan Kalkbrenner |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -1.0 | -1.6 |
| ReboundsREB | -1.5 | -0.2 |
| AssistsAST | +0.8 | -1.4 |
| StealsSTL | -0.9 | -1.6 |
| BlocksBLK | -1.1 | +1.7 |
| Threes3PM | +0.4 | -1.7 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.2 | +1.8 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.7 | -0.4 |
| TurnoversTO | +0.7 | +1.2 |
| Total | -2.1 | -2.1 |
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 Cam Spencer.
| Punt | Cam Spencer | Ryan Kalkbrenner |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -1.1 (#117) | -0.5 (#83) |
| REB | -0.6 (#78) | -2.1 (#141) |
| AST | -2.9 (#197) | -0.7 (#82) |
| STL | -1.3 (#112) | -0.5 (#76) |
| BLK | -1.0 (#90) | -4.1 (#230) |
| 3PM | -2.6 (#167) | -0.4 (#71) |
| FG% | -1.9 (#116) | -4.4 (#227) |
| FT% | -2.9 (#174) | -1.6 (#122) |
| TO | -2.9 (#137) | -3.5 (#156) |
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)
- Cam Spencer: 3 games (Wed UTA, Fri @GSW, Sun @SAC).
- Ryan Kalkbrenner: 3 games (Wed @BKN, Fri ATL, Sat MIA), 1 back-to-back.
Recent games
- Cam Spencer: 12.8 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 22.4 on the board.
- Ryan Kalkbrenner: 20.2 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 20.1 on the board.
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Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Cam Spencer playing tonight? · Is Ryan Kalkbrenner playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Cam Spencer, Ryan Kalkbrenner
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Cam Spencer or Ryan Kalkbrenner?
Points leagues: Cam Spencer. 22.4 fantasy points per game against 20.1, 160th on our board to 206th. 9-cat leagues: Ryan Kalkbrenner instead, -2.1 in summed z-scores against -2.1 (134th to 135th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Cam Spencer or Ryan Kalkbrenner?
Category by category, Cam Spencer 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 1, Cam Spencer or Ryan Kalkbrenner?
Cam Spencer plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Ryan Kalkbrenner 3. For that week alone, start Cam Spencer: 67.3 projected fantasy points to 60.4 for Ryan Kalkbrenner.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 24, 2026 at 2:26 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number