Daniel Gafford vs Nikola Vučević: who to start in Week 3
Daniel Gafford plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Nikola Vučević 3. For that week alone, start Daniel Gafford: 102.2 projected fantasy points to 76.5 for Nikola Vučević. Over the season, Daniel Gafford leads in both formats: 25.6 fantasy points a game to 25.5, and 95th against 141st 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 Nov 3, 2:36 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #140
- 25.6 FP/G, slot 12.08, $4
- 9-cat leagues
- #95
- -1.2 z, slot 8.11, $9
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #142
- 25.5 FP/G, slot 12.10, $4
- 9-cat leagues
- #141
- -2.1 z, slot 12.09, $3
The call
Points leagues: Daniel Gafford. 25.6 fantasy points per game against 25.5, 140th on our board to 142nd.
9-cat leagues: Daniel Gafford again, -1.2 in summed z-scores against -2.1 (95th to 141st).
Category by category, Daniel Gafford is ahead in 4 (REB, STL, BLK and FG%) and Nikola Vučević in 5 (PTS, AST, 3PM, FT% and TO).
Per 36 minutes, Daniel Gafford produces more: 41.1 fantasy points to 41.0, on 22.4 minutes a night against 22.4. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Daniel Gafford plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Nikola Vučević 3. For that week alone, start Daniel Gafford: 102.2 projected fantasy points to 76.5 for Nikola Vučević.
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.
Per game, side by side
| Per game | Daniel Gafford | Nikola Vučević |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 25.6 | 25.5 |
| Minutes | 22.4 | 22.4 |
| PointsPTS | 9.7 | 11.3 |
| ReboundsREB | 6.9 | 6.7 |
| AssistsAST | 1.4 | 2.7 |
| StealsSTL | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| BlocksBLK | 1.4 | 0.7 |
| Threes3PM | 0.0 | 1.2 |
| Field goal %FG% | 68.5% | 48.7% |
| Free throw %FT% | 67.9% | 80.0% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.3 | 1.0 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 55 | 64 |
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 | Daniel Gafford | Nikola Vučević |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 41.1 | 41.0 |
| Points | 15.6 | 18.1 |
| Rebounds | 11.1 | 10.7 |
| Assists | 2.3 | 4.3 |
| Steals | 1.3 | 0.7 |
| Blocks | 2.3 | 1.1 |
| Threes | 0.1 | 1.9 |
| Turnovers | 2.1 | 1.7 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
9-category z-scores
| Category | Daniel Gafford | Nikola Vučević |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -1.3 | -1.0 |
| ReboundsREB | +0.5 | +0.4 |
| AssistsAST | -1.2 | -0.6 |
| StealsSTL | -0.7 | -1.7 |
| BlocksBLK | +1.6 | -0.0 |
| Threes3PM | -1.7 | -0.5 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | +1.8 | +0.1 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -1.0 | 0.0 |
| TurnoversTO | +0.9 | +1.2 |
| Total | -1.2 | -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 steals, blocks and field goal percentage flips the 9-cat answer to Nikola Vučević.
| Punt | Daniel Gafford | Nikola Vučević |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | +0.1 (#57) | -1.2 (#121) |
| REB | -2.0 (#133) | -2.6 (#172) |
| AST | -0.0 (#60) | -1.6 (#128) |
| STL | -0.6 (#78) | -0.5 (#74) |
| BLK | -3.0 (#171) | -2.4 (#148) |
| 3PM | +0.6 (#45) | -1.6 (#124) |
| FG% | -3.6 (#188) | -2.4 (#139) |
| FT% | -0.1 (#59) | -2.1 (#150) |
| TO | -2.2 (#119) | -3.4 (#155) |
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 438 ranked players.
Week 3 (Nov 2-8)
- Daniel Gafford: 4 games (Mon SAC, Wed @SAS, Fri UTA, Sun BKN).
- Nikola Vučević: 3 games (Mon WAS, Thu @PHX, Sat @GSW), 1 back-to-back.
Recent games
- Daniel Gafford: 28.3 fantasy points a game over his last 7 of 2026-27, against 25.6 on the board.
- Nikola Vučević: 10.4 fantasy points a game over his last 7 of 2026-27, against 25.5 on the board.
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Daniel Gafford playing tonight? · Is Nikola Vučević playing tonight?
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Daniel Gafford or Nikola Vučević?
Points leagues: Daniel Gafford. 25.6 fantasy points per game against 25.5, 140th on our board to 142nd. 9-cat leagues: Daniel Gafford again, -1.2 in summed z-scores against -2.1 (95th to 141st).
Who wins more categories, Daniel Gafford or Nikola Vučević?
Category by category, Daniel Gafford is ahead in 4 (REB, STL, BLK and FG%) and Nikola Vučević in 5 (PTS, AST, 3PM, FT% and TO).
Who should I start in Week 3, Daniel Gafford or Nikola Vučević?
Daniel Gafford plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Nikola Vučević 3. For that week alone, start Daniel Gafford: 102.2 projected fantasy points to 76.5 for Nikola Vučević.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Nov 3, 2026 at 2:36 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number