Derik Queen vs Paolo Banchero: who to start in Week 2
Derik Queen plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Paolo Banchero 3. For that week alone, start Derik Queen: 88.3 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Paolo Banchero. Over the season, Paolo Banchero leads in points leagues (41.0 fantasy points a game to 29.4) and Derik Queen in 9-cat leagues (93rd against 94th). 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, 2:30 PM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #88
- 29.4 FP/G, slot 8.04, $11
- 9-cat leagues
- #93
- -1.1 z, slot 8.09, $9
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #19
- 41.0 FP/G, slot 2.07, $28
- 9-cat leagues
- #94
- -1.1 z, slot 8.10, $9
Out (Ankle)
The pick in points leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Paolo Banchero. 41.0 fantasy points per game against 29.4, 19th on our board to 88th.
9-cat leagues: Derik Queen instead, -1.1 in summed z-scores against -1.1 (93rd to 94th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Derik Queen is ahead in 4 (STL, BLK, FT% and TO) and Paolo Banchero in 4 (PTS, REB, AST and 3PM).
Per 36 minutes, Derik Queen produces more: 42.7 fantasy points to 42.5, on 24.8 minutes a night against 34.7. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Derik Queen plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Paolo Banchero 3. For that week alone, start Derik Queen: 88.3 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Paolo Banchero.
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 | Derik Queen | Paolo Banchero |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 29.4 | 41.0 |
| Minutes | 24.8 | 34.7 |
| PointsPTS | 11.9 | 22.5 |
| ReboundsREB | 7.3 | 8.2 |
| AssistsAST | 3.3 | 5.5 |
| StealsSTL | 1.1 | 0.7 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.9 | 0.5 |
| Threes3PM | 0.3 | 1.2 |
| Field goal %FG% | 48.0% | 48.0% |
| Free throw %FT% | 82.7% | 76.4% |
| TurnoversTO | 2.1 | 3.2 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 81 | 72 |
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 | Paolo Banchero |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 42.7 | 42.5 |
| Points | 17.3 | 23.3 |
| Rebounds | 10.6 | 8.5 |
| Assists | 4.9 | 5.7 |
| Steals | 1.6 | 0.8 |
| Blocks | 1.3 | 0.5 |
| Threes | 0.4 | 1.3 |
| Turnovers | 3.1 | 3.3 |
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 | Derik Queen | Paolo Banchero |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -0.8 | +1.1 |
| ReboundsREB | +0.7 | +1.1 |
| AssistsAST | -0.1 | +0.9 |
| StealsSTL | +0.1 | -0.8 |
| BlocksBLK | +0.4 | -0.4 |
| Threes3PM | -1.4 | -0.5 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.1 | -0.1 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.3 | -0.9 |
| TurnoversTO | -0.3 | -1.6 |
| Total | -1.1 | -1.1 |
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, free throw percentage and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to Paolo Banchero.
| Punt | Derik Queen | Paolo Banchero |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -0.3 (#74) | -2.2 (#177) |
| REB | -2.0 (#135) | -2.6 (#171) |
| AST | -0.9 (#92) | -2.1 (#157) |
| STL | -1.2 (#109) | -0.3 (#70) |
| BLK | -1.7 (#121) | -1.0 (#92) |
| 3PM | +0.3 (#48) | -0.7 (#82) |
| FG% | -1.3 (#99) | -1.7 (#111) |
| FT% | -1.4 (#113) | -0.3 (#66) |
| TO | -0.9 (#78) | +0.5 (#52) |
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)
- Derik Queen: 3 games (Wed DEN, Thu SAC, Sat ATL), 1 back-to-back.
- Paolo Banchero: 3 games (Wed @TOR, Fri @TOR, Sun BOS), listed Out.
Recent games
- Derik Queen: 30.5 fantasy points a game over his last 3 of 2026-27, against 29.4 on the board.
- Paolo Banchero: 42.5 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 41.0 on the board.
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Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Derik Queen playing tonight? · Is Paolo Banchero playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Derik Queen, Paolo Banchero
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Derik Queen or Paolo Banchero?
Points leagues: Paolo Banchero. 41.0 fantasy points per game against 29.4, 19th on our board to 88th. 9-cat leagues: Derik Queen instead, -1.1 in summed z-scores against -1.1 (93rd to 94th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Derik Queen or Paolo Banchero?
Category by category, Derik Queen is ahead in 4 (STL, BLK, FT% and TO) and Paolo Banchero in 4 (PTS, REB, AST and 3PM).
Who should I start in Week 2, Derik Queen or Paolo Banchero?
Derik Queen plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Paolo Banchero 3. For that week alone, start Derik Queen: 88.3 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Paolo Banchero.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 26, 2026 at 2:30 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number