Cedric Coward vs Kel'el Ware: who to start in Week 1
Cedric Coward plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Kel'el Ware 3. For that week alone, start Kel'el Ware: 78.3 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Cedric Coward. Over the season, Kel'el Ware leads in both formats: 26.1 fantasy points a game to 26.0, and 78th against 139th 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 24, 8:26 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #127
- 26.0 FP/G, slot 11.07, $6
- 9-cat leagues
- #139
- -2.2 z, slot 12.07, $3
Out (Wrist)
- Points leagues
- #126
- 26.1 FP/G, slot 11.06, $6
- 9-cat leagues
- #78
- -0.8 z, slot 7.06, $11
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Kel'el Ware. 26.1 fantasy points per game against 26.0, 126th on our board to 127th.
9-cat leagues: Kel'el Ware again, -0.8 in summed z-scores against -2.2 (78th to 139th).
Category by category, Cedric Coward is ahead in 4 (PTS, AST, 3PM and FT%) and Kel'el Ware in 5 (REB, STL, BLK, FG% and TO).
Per 36 minutes, Kel'el Ware produces more: 44.3 fantasy points to 36.1, on 21.2 minutes a night against 25.9. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Cedric Coward plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Kel'el Ware 3. For that week alone, start Kel'el Ware: 78.3 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Cedric Coward.
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 | Cedric Coward | Kel'el Ware |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 26.0 | 26.1 |
| Minutes | 25.9 | 21.2 |
| PointsPTS | 13.2 | 10.8 |
| ReboundsREB | 5.9 | 8.4 |
| AssistsAST | 2.7 | 0.7 |
| StealsSTL | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.5 | 1.0 |
| Threes3PM | 1.5 | 1.1 |
| Field goal %FG% | 47.2% | 53.8% |
| Free throw %FT% | 84.3% | 62.6% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.6 | 0.9 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 62 | 77 |
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 | Cedric Coward | Kel'el Ware |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 36.1 | 44.3 |
| Points | 18.3 | 18.3 |
| Rebounds | 8.3 | 14.2 |
| Assists | 3.8 | 1.2 |
| Steals | 0.8 | 1.2 |
| Blocks | 0.7 | 1.6 |
| Threes | 2.0 | 1.9 |
| Turnovers | 2.2 | 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 | Cedric Coward | Kel'el Ware |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -0.5 | -1.0 |
| ReboundsREB | +0.1 | +1.2 |
| AssistsAST | -0.4 | -1.5 |
| StealsSTL | -1.1 | -0.8 |
| BlocksBLK | -0.5 | +0.6 |
| Threes3PM | -0.2 | -0.5 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.2 | +0.7 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.4 | -0.7 |
| TurnoversTO | +0.3 | +1.2 |
| Total | -2.2 | -0.8 |
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
No punt changes the answer: Kel'el Ware stays ahead whichever category you give up.
| Punt | Cedric Coward | Kel'el Ware |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -1.6 (#143) | +0.1 (#58) |
| REB | -2.3 (#149) | -2.2 (#142) |
| AST | -1.7 (#139) | +0.6 (#43) |
| STL | -1.1 (#98) | -0.1 (#61) |
| BLK | -1.9 (#125) | -1.7 (#114) |
| 3PM | -2.0 (#136) | -0.3 (#67) |
| FG% | -2.1 (#125) | -1.9 (#119) |
| FT% | -2.5 (#161) | -0.0 (#61) |
| TO | -2.6 (#131) | -2.1 (#115) |
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)
- Cedric Coward: 3 games (Wed UTA, Fri @GSW, Sun @SAC), listed Out.
- Kel'el Ware: 3 games (Wed @WAS, Fri CHI, Sat @PHI), 1 back-to-back.
Recent games
- Cedric Coward: 21.4 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 26.0 on the board.
- Kel'el Ware: 13.9 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 26.1 on the board.
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Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Cedric Coward playing tonight? · Is Kel'el Ware playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Cedric Coward, Kel'el Ware
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Cedric Coward or Kel'el Ware?
Points leagues: Kel'el Ware. 26.1 fantasy points per game against 26.0, 126th on our board to 127th. 9-cat leagues: Kel'el Ware again, -0.8 in summed z-scores against -2.2 (78th to 139th).
Who wins more categories, Cedric Coward or Kel'el Ware?
Category by category, Cedric Coward is ahead in 4 (PTS, AST, 3PM and FT%) and Kel'el Ware in 5 (REB, STL, BLK, FG% and TO).
Who should I start in Week 1, Cedric Coward or Kel'el Ware?
Cedric Coward plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Kel'el Ware 3. For that week alone, start Kel'el Ware: 78.3 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Cedric Coward.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 24, 2026 at 8:26 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number