Christian Braun vs Obi Toppin: who to start in Week 1
Christian Braun plays 2 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Obi Toppin 3. For that week alone, start Obi Toppin: 64.6 projected fantasy points to 47.6 for Christian Braun. Over the season, Christian Braun leads in points leagues (23.8 fantasy points a game to 21.5) and Obi Toppin in 9-cat leagues (164th against 165th). 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, 2:29 PM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
Parlae may earn a commission from price links.
- Points leagues
- #151
- 23.8 FP/G, slot 13.07, $2
- 9-cat leagues
- #165
- -2.7 z, slot 14.09
The pick in points leagues.
- Points leagues
- #178
- 21.5 FP/G, slot 15.10
- 9-cat leagues
- #164
- -2.6 z, slot 14.08
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Christian Braun. 23.8 fantasy points per game against 21.5, 151st on our board to 178th.
9-cat leagues: Obi Toppin instead, -2.6 in summed z-scores against -2.7 (164th to 165th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Christian Braun is ahead in 6 (REB, AST, STL, BLK, FG% and TO) and Obi Toppin in 3 (PTS, 3PM and FT%).
Per 36 minutes, Obi Toppin produces more: 41.8 fantasy points to 26.5, on 18.5 minutes a night against 32.3. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Christian Braun plays 2 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Obi Toppin 3. For that week alone, start Obi Toppin: 64.6 projected fantasy points to 47.6 for Christian Braun.
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 | Christian Braun | Obi Toppin |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 23.8 | 21.5 |
| Minutes | 32.3 | 18.5 |
| PointsPTS | 11.8 | 12.2 |
| ReboundsREB | 5.1 | 4.4 |
| AssistsAST | 2.6 | 2.1 |
| StealsSTL | 0.8 | 0.6 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| Threes3PM | 0.9 | 1.6 |
| Field goal %FG% | 51.3% | 50.9% |
| Free throw %FT% | 76.7% | 89.9% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.0 | 1.1 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 44 | 24 |
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 | Christian Braun | Obi Toppin |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 26.5 | 41.8 |
| Points | 13.2 | 23.7 |
| Rebounds | 5.6 | 8.5 |
| Assists | 2.9 | 4.2 |
| Steals | 0.9 | 1.1 |
| Blocks | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Threes | 1.0 | 3.1 |
| Turnovers | 1.2 | 2.1 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
Advertisement
9-category z-scores
| Category | Christian Braun | Obi Toppin |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -0.8 | -0.7 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.3 | -0.6 |
| AssistsAST | -0.5 | -0.7 |
| StealsSTL | -0.7 | -1.3 |
| BlocksBLK | -0.9 | -1.2 |
| Threes3PM | -0.7 | -0.0 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | +0.4 | +0.3 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -0.2 | +0.7 |
| TurnoversTO | +1.0 | +1.0 |
| Total | -2.7 | -2.6 |
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 threes and free throw percentage flips the 9-cat answer to Christian Braun.
| Punt | Christian Braun | Obi Toppin |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -1.9 (#164) | -1.9 (#161) |
| REB | -2.5 (#167) | -2.0 (#137) |
| AST | -2.2 (#165) | -1.9 (#144) |
| STL | -2.1 (#148) | -1.4 (#120) |
| BLK | -2.0 (#134) | -1.6 (#113) |
| 3PM | -2.0 (#138) | -2.6 (#172) |
| FG% | -3.5 (#179) | -3.0 (#158) |
| FT% | -2.5 (#157) | -3.3 (#189) |
| TO | -3.8 (#172) | -3.7 (#167) |
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)
- Christian Braun: 2 games (Thu @OKC, Sat NOP).
- Obi Toppin: 3 games (Wed @NOP, Fri DAL, Sun @BKN).
Recent games
- Christian Braun: 24.6 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 23.8 on the board.
- Obi Toppin: 26.8 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 21.5 on the board.
Advertisement
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Christian Braun playing tonight? · Is Obi Toppin playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Christian Braun
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Christian Braun or Obi Toppin?
Points leagues: Christian Braun. 23.8 fantasy points per game against 21.5, 151st on our board to 178th. 9-cat leagues: Obi Toppin instead, -2.6 in summed z-scores against -2.7 (164th to 165th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Christian Braun or Obi Toppin?
Category by category, Christian Braun is ahead in 6 (REB, AST, STL, BLK, FG% and TO) and Obi Toppin in 3 (PTS, 3PM and FT%).
Who should I start in Week 1, Christian Braun or Obi Toppin?
Christian Braun plays 2 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Obi Toppin 3. For that week alone, start Obi Toppin: 64.6 projected fantasy points to 47.6 for Christian Braun.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 25, 2026 at 2:29 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number