DeMar DeRozan vs Keegan Murray: who to start in Week 1
DeMar DeRozan plays 2 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Keegan Murray 3. For that week alone, start Keegan Murray: 84.2 projected fantasy points to 59.2 for DeMar DeRozan. Over the season, DeMar DeRozan leads in points leagues (29.6 fantasy points a game to 28.1) and Keegan Murray in 9-cat leagues (103rd against 105th). 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, 4:26 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #86
- 29.6 FP/G, slot 8.02, $11
- 9-cat leagues
- #105
- -1.3 z, slot 9.09, $8
The pick in points leagues.
- Points leagues
- #101
- 28.1 FP/G, slot 9.05, $9
- 9-cat leagues
- #103
- -1.3 z, slot 9.07, $8
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: DeMar DeRozan. 29.6 fantasy points per game against 28.1, 86th on our board to 101st.
9-cat leagues: Keegan Murray instead, -1.3 in summed z-scores against -1.3 (103rd to 105th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, DeMar DeRozan is ahead in 4 (PTS, AST, FG% and FT%) and Keegan Murray in 5 (REB, STL, BLK, 3PM and TO).
Per 36 minutes, DeMar DeRozan produces more: 34.3 fantasy points to 30.1, on 31.0 minutes a night against 33.6. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
DeMar DeRozan plays 2 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Keegan Murray 3. For that week alone, start Keegan Murray: 84.2 projected fantasy points to 59.2 for DeMar DeRozan.
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 | DeMar DeRozan | Keegan Murray |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 29.6 | 28.1 |
| Minutes | 31.0 | 33.6 |
| PointsPTS | 18.1 | 13.1 |
| ReboundsREB | 2.9 | 5.4 |
| AssistsAST | 3.8 | 1.5 |
| StealsSTL | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.3 | 1.4 |
| Threes3PM | 0.6 | 1.2 |
| Field goal %FG% | 49.9% | 41.0% |
| Free throw %FT% | 84.3% | 80.0% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.5 | 1.1 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 77 | 23 |
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 | DeMar DeRozan | Keegan Murray |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 34.3 | 30.1 |
| Points | 21.0 | 14.1 |
| Rebounds | 3.3 | 5.8 |
| Assists | 4.5 | 1.6 |
| Steals | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Blocks | 0.3 | 1.5 |
| Threes | 0.7 | 1.3 |
| Turnovers | 1.7 | 1.2 |
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 | DeMar DeRozan | Keegan Murray |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | +0.3 | -0.6 |
| ReboundsREB | -1.3 | -0.2 |
| AssistsAST | +0.1 | -1.0 |
| StealsSTL | -0.1 | +0.0 |
| BlocksBLK | -0.8 | +1.4 |
| Threes3PM | -1.1 | -0.4 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | +0.3 | -1.6 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.8 | +0.0 |
| TurnoversTO | +0.5 | +0.9 |
| Total | -1.3 | -1.3 |
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, steals, blocks, threes and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to DeMar DeRozan.
| Punt | DeMar DeRozan | Keegan Murray |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -1.7 (#149) | -0.8 (#94) |
| REB | -0.1 (#59) | -1.3 (#108) |
| AST | -1.5 (#127) | -0.3 (#63) |
| STL | -1.3 (#112) | -1.4 (#118) |
| BLK | -0.6 (#79) | -3.0 (#170) |
| 3PM | -0.4 (#74) | -0.9 (#91) |
| FG% | -1.9 (#118) | +0.1 (#58) |
| FT% | -2.2 (#148) | -1.3 (#109) |
| TO | -1.9 (#108) | -2.3 (#119) |
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)
- DeMar DeRozan: 2 games (Thu @OKC, Sat NOP).
- Keegan Murray: 3 games (Wed @LAC, Fri POR, Sun MEM).
Recent games
- DeMar DeRozan: 10.4 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 29.6 on the board.
- Keegan Murray: 13.8 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 28.1 on the board.
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Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is DeMar DeRozan playing tonight? · Is Keegan Murray playing tonight?
Rookie cards: DeMar DeRozan
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, DeMar DeRozan or Keegan Murray?
Points leagues: DeMar DeRozan. 29.6 fantasy points per game against 28.1, 86th on our board to 101st. 9-cat leagues: Keegan Murray instead, -1.3 in summed z-scores against -1.3 (103rd to 105th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, DeMar DeRozan or Keegan Murray?
Category by category, DeMar DeRozan is ahead in 4 (PTS, AST, FG% and FT%) and Keegan Murray in 5 (REB, STL, BLK, 3PM and TO).
Who should I start in Week 1, DeMar DeRozan or Keegan Murray?
DeMar DeRozan plays 2 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Keegan Murray 3. For that week alone, start Keegan Murray: 84.2 projected fantasy points to 59.2 for DeMar DeRozan.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 24, 2026 at 4:26 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number