Derik Queen vs Ja Morant: who to start in Week 3
Derik Queen plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Ja Morant 4. For that week alone, start Derik Queen: 115.8 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Ja Morant. Over the season, Ja Morant leads in both formats: 34.3 fantasy points a game to 28.9, and 119th against 120th 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
- #101
- 28.9 FP/G, slot 9.05, $9
- 9-cat leagues
- #120
- -1.7 z, slot 10.12, $6
- Points leagues
- #58
- 34.3 FP/G, slot 5.10, $17
- 9-cat leagues
- #119
- -1.7 z, slot 10.11, $6
Out (Hamstring)
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Ja Morant. 34.3 fantasy points per game against 28.9, 58th on our board to 101st.
9-cat leagues: Ja Morant again, -1.7 in summed z-scores against -1.7 (119th to 120th).
Category by category, Derik Queen is ahead in 5 (REB, STL, BLK, FG% and TO) and Ja Morant in 4 (PTS, AST, 3PM and FT%).
Per 36 minutes, Ja Morant produces more: 44.3 fantasy points to 42.4, on 27.9 minutes a night against 24.6. He already plays as much or more, so the gap is not a role waiting to grow.
Derik Queen plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Ja Morant 4. For that week alone, start Derik Queen: 115.8 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Ja Morant.
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 | Derik Queen | Ja Morant |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 28.9 | 34.3 |
| Minutes | 24.6 | 27.9 |
| PointsPTS | 11.9 | 18.7 |
| ReboundsREB | 7.3 | 3.1 |
| AssistsAST | 3.3 | 7.5 |
| StealsSTL | 1.1 | 1.0 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.8 | 0.2 |
| Threes3PM | 0.3 | 1.1 |
| Field goal %FG% | 48.9% | 43.2% |
| Free throw %FT% | 82.2% | 89.3% |
| TurnoversTO | 2.3 | 3.1 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 81 | 20 |
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 | Derik Queen | Ja Morant |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 42.4 | 44.3 |
| Points | 17.5 | 24.1 |
| Rebounds | 10.6 | 4.0 |
| Assists | 4.9 | 9.7 |
| Steals | 1.6 | 1.3 |
| Blocks | 1.2 | 0.3 |
| Threes | 0.5 | 1.4 |
| Turnovers | 3.4 | 4.0 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
9-category z-scores
| Category | Derik Queen | Ja Morant |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -0.9 | +0.4 |
| ReboundsREB | +0.6 | -1.2 |
| AssistsAST | -0.2 | +1.9 |
| StealsSTL | +0.0 | -0.2 |
| BlocksBLK | +0.3 | -0.9 |
| Threes3PM | -1.4 | -0.6 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | +0.1 | -1.1 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.2 | +1.5 |
| TurnoversTO | -0.5 | -1.4 |
| Total | -1.7 | -1.7 |
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, assists, threes and free throw percentage flips the 9-cat answer to Derik Queen.
| Punt | Derik Queen | Ja Morant |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -0.8 (#97) | -2.0 (#172) |
| REB | -2.4 (#160) | -0.5 (#80) |
| AST | -1.5 (#119) | -3.7 (#229) |
| STL | -1.7 (#127) | -1.5 (#118) |
| BLK | -2.2 (#140) | -0.8 (#89) |
| 3PM | -0.2 (#62) | -1.2 (#101) |
| FG% | -2.0 (#130) | -0.5 (#71) |
| FT% | -1.9 (#133) | -3.2 (#195) |
| TO | -1.3 (#95) | -0.3 (#68) |
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)
- Derik Queen: 4 games (Mon @MEM, Wed UTA, Fri MIN, Sun @LAC).
- Ja Morant: 4 games (Mon @DEN, Wed @PHX, Fri @LAL, Sat SAS), 1 back-to-back, listed Out.
Recent games
- Derik Queen: 28.4 fantasy points a game over his last 7 of 2026-27, against 28.9 on the board.
- Ja Morant: 28.8 fantasy points a game over his last 4 of 2026-27, against 34.3 on the board.
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Derik Queen playing tonight? · Is Ja Morant playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Derik Queen, Ja Morant
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Derik Queen or Ja Morant?
Points leagues: Ja Morant. 34.3 fantasy points per game against 28.9, 58th on our board to 101st. 9-cat leagues: Ja Morant again, -1.7 in summed z-scores against -1.7 (119th to 120th).
Who wins more categories, Derik Queen or Ja Morant?
Category by category, Derik Queen is ahead in 5 (REB, STL, BLK, FG% and TO) and Ja Morant in 4 (PTS, AST, 3PM and FT%).
Who should I start in Week 3, Derik Queen or Ja Morant?
Derik Queen plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Ja Morant 4. For that week alone, start Derik Queen: 115.8 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Ja Morant.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Nov 3, 2026 at 2:36 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number