Cooper Flagg vs Nickeil Alexander-Walker: who to start in Week 2
Cooper Flagg plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Nickeil Alexander-Walker 4. For that week alone, start Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 137.8 projected fantasy points to 120.8 for Cooper Flagg. Over the season, Cooper Flagg leads in points leagues (40.3 fantasy points a game to 34.4) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in 9-cat leagues (24th against 25th). 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 26, 6:30 PM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #25
- 40.3 FP/G, slot 3.01, $27
- 9-cat leagues
- #25
- +2.4 z, slot 3.01, $29
Game-time decision (Shoulder)
The pick in points leagues.
- Points leagues
- #52
- 34.4 FP/G, slot 5.04, $19
- 9-cat leagues
- #24
- +2.4 z, slot 2.12, $29
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Cooper Flagg. 40.3 fantasy points per game against 34.4, 25th on our board to 52nd.
9-cat leagues: Nickeil Alexander-Walker instead, +2.4 in summed z-scores against +2.4 (24th to 25th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Cooper Flagg is ahead in 5 (PTS, REB, AST, BLK and FG%) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in 3 (3PM, FT% and TO).
Per 36 minutes, Cooper Flagg produces more: 44.6 fantasy points to 37.9, on 32.5 minutes a night against 32.8. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Cooper Flagg plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Nickeil Alexander-Walker 4. For that week alone, start Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 137.8 projected fantasy points to 120.8 for Cooper Flagg.
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 | Cooper Flagg | Nickeil Alexander-Walker |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 40.3 | 34.4 |
| Minutes | 32.5 | 32.8 |
| PointsPTS | 21.3 | 20.9 |
| ReboundsREB | 6.5 | 3.5 |
| AssistsAST | 4.5 | 3.7 |
| StealsSTL | 1.4 | 1.4 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.9 | 0.5 |
| Threes3PM | 1.1 | 3.3 |
| Field goal %FG% | 48.0% | 46.0% |
| Free throw %FT% | 83.8% | 87.0% |
| TurnoversTO | 2.4 | 2.0 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 70 | 78 |
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 | Cooper Flagg | Nickeil Alexander-Walker |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 44.6 | 37.9 |
| Points | 23.6 | 22.9 |
| Rebounds | 7.2 | 3.9 |
| Assists | 4.9 | 4.1 |
| Steals | 1.6 | 1.6 |
| Blocks | 1.0 | 0.6 |
| Threes | 1.2 | 3.6 |
| Turnovers | 2.7 | 2.2 |
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 | Cooper Flagg | Nickeil Alexander-Walker |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | +0.9 | +0.8 |
| ReboundsREB | +0.4 | -1.0 |
| AssistsAST | +0.4 | +0.1 |
| StealsSTL | +1.0 | +1.0 |
| BlocksBLK | +0.5 | -0.4 |
| Threes3PM | -0.6 | +1.7 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.1 | -0.6 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.7 | +1.0 |
| TurnoversTO | -0.7 | -0.2 |
| Total | +2.4 | +2.4 |
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
Punting points, steals, threes, free throw percentage and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to Cooper Flagg.
| Punt | Cooper Flagg | Nickeil Alexander-Walker |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | +1.5 (#25) | +1.5 (#26) |
| REB | +2.1 (#24) | +3.6 (#13) |
| AST | +1.9 (#25) | +2.2 (#23) |
| STL | +1.4 (#30) | +1.3 (#31) |
| BLK | +1.9 (#28) | +2.8 (#19) |
| 3PM | +2.8 (#15) | +0.5 (#45) |
| FG% | +2.5 (#26) | +3.3 (#20) |
| FT% | +1.6 (#29) | +1.3 (#36) |
| TO | +3.1 (#20) | +2.6 (#29) |
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 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1)
- Cooper Flagg: 3 games (Mon @MIA, Wed OKC, Fri HOU), listed GTD.
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 4 games (Mon @HOU, Wed MIA, Thu CLE, Sat @NOP), 1 back-to-back.
Recent games
- Cooper Flagg: 43.5 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 40.3 on the board.
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 37.1 fantasy points a game over his last 3 of 2026-27, against 34.4 on the board.
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Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Cooper Flagg playing tonight? · Is Nickeil Alexander-Walker playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Cooper Flagg, Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Cooper Flagg or Nickeil Alexander-Walker?
Points leagues: Cooper Flagg. 40.3 fantasy points per game against 34.4, 25th on our board to 52nd. 9-cat leagues: Nickeil Alexander-Walker instead, +2.4 in summed z-scores against +2.4 (24th to 25th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Cooper Flagg or Nickeil Alexander-Walker?
Category by category, Cooper Flagg is ahead in 5 (PTS, REB, AST, BLK and FG%) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in 3 (3PM, FT% and TO).
Who should I start in Week 2, Cooper Flagg or Nickeil Alexander-Walker?
Cooper Flagg plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Nickeil Alexander-Walker 4. For that week alone, start Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 137.8 projected fantasy points to 120.8 for Cooper Flagg.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 26, 2026 at 6:30 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number