Derrick Jones Jr. vs Ivica Zubac: who to start in Week 3
Derrick Jones Jr. plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Ivica Zubac 3. For that week alone, start Derrick Jones Jr.: 65.5 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Ivica Zubac. Over the season, Ivica Zubac leads in points leagues (30.5 fantasy points a game to 21.8) and Derrick Jones Jr. in 9-cat leagues (128th against 129th). 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.
Parlae may earn a commission from price links.
- Points leagues
- #185
- 21.8 FP/G, slot 16.05
- 9-cat leagues
- #128
- -1.9 z, slot 11.08, $4
Day to day (Knee)
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #92
- 30.5 FP/G, slot 8.08, $11
- 9-cat leagues
- #129
- -1.9 z, slot 11.09, $4
Out (Ankle)
The pick in points leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Ivica Zubac. 30.5 fantasy points per game against 21.8, 92nd on our board to 185th.
9-cat leagues: Derrick Jones Jr. instead, -1.9 in summed z-scores against -1.9 (128th to 129th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Derrick Jones Jr. is ahead in 4 (STL, 3PM, FT% and TO) and Ivica Zubac in 4 (PTS, REB, AST and FG%).
Per 36 minutes, Ivica Zubac produces more: 38.3 fantasy points to 28.6, on 28.7 minutes a night against 27.5. He already plays as much or more, so the gap is not a role waiting to grow.
Derrick Jones Jr. plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Ivica Zubac 3. For that week alone, start Derrick Jones Jr.: 65.5 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Ivica Zubac.
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 | Derrick Jones Jr. | Ivica Zubac |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 21.8 | 30.5 |
| Minutes | 27.5 | 28.7 |
| PointsPTS | 10.5 | 13.3 |
| ReboundsREB | 3.9 | 10.3 |
| AssistsAST | 1.4 | 2.0 |
| StealsSTL | 1.0 | 0.3 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| Threes3PM | 1.4 | 0.0 |
| Field goal %FG% | 50.8% | 59.8% |
| Free throw %FT% | 74.6% | 68.6% |
| TurnoversTO | 0.9 | 1.8 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 50 | 48 |
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 | Derrick Jones Jr. | Ivica Zubac |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 28.6 | 38.3 |
| Points | 13.7 | 16.6 |
| Rebounds | 5.0 | 13.0 |
| Assists | 1.9 | 2.6 |
| Steals | 1.3 | 0.4 |
| Blocks | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Threes | 1.8 | 0.0 |
| Turnovers | 1.2 | 2.2 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
9-category z-scores
| Category | Derrick Jones Jr. | Ivica Zubac |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -1.1 | -0.6 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.8 | +1.9 |
| AssistsAST | -1.2 | -0.9 |
| StealsSTL | -0.2 | -2.0 |
| BlocksBLK | +0.4 | +0.4 |
| Threes3PM | -0.3 | -1.7 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | +0.3 | +1.8 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -0.3 | -1.0 |
| TurnoversTO | +1.3 | +0.2 |
| Total | -1.9 | -1.9 |
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, threes, free throw percentage and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to Ivica Zubac.
| Punt | Derrick Jones Jr. | Ivica Zubac |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -0.9 (#100) | -1.3 (#127) |
| REB | -1.2 (#109) | -4.1 (#254) |
| AST | -0.8 (#85) | -1.0 (#100) |
| STL | -1.8 (#134) | +0.0 (#53) |
| BLK | -2.5 (#152) | -2.7 (#157) |
| 3PM | -1.6 (#125) | -0.1 (#59) |
| FG% | -2.5 (#140) | -4.2 (#217) |
| FT% | -1.6 (#126) | -0.8 (#86) |
| TO | -3.4 (#154) | -2.3 (#123) |
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)
- Derrick Jones Jr.: 3 games (Mon TOR, Wed MIA, Sun NOP), 1 back-to-back, listed DTD.
- Ivica Zubac: 3 games (Mon ATL, Wed @MEM, Sat DEN), 1 back-to-back, listed Out.
Recent games
- Derrick Jones Jr.: 23.4 fantasy points a game over his last 6 of 2026-27, against 21.8 on the board.
- Ivica Zubac: 23.1 fantasy points a game over his last 3 of 2026-27, against 30.5 on the board.
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Derrick Jones Jr. playing tonight? · Is Ivica Zubac playing tonight?
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Derrick Jones Jr. or Ivica Zubac?
Points leagues: Ivica Zubac. 30.5 fantasy points per game against 21.8, 92nd on our board to 185th. 9-cat leagues: Derrick Jones Jr. instead, -1.9 in summed z-scores against -1.9 (128th to 129th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Derrick Jones Jr. or Ivica Zubac?
Category by category, Derrick Jones Jr. is ahead in 4 (STL, 3PM, FT% and TO) and Ivica Zubac in 4 (PTS, REB, AST and FG%).
Who should I start in Week 3, Derrick Jones Jr. or Ivica Zubac?
Derrick Jones Jr. plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Ivica Zubac 3. For that week alone, start Derrick Jones Jr.: 65.5 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Ivica Zubac.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Nov 3, 2026 at 2:36 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number