Derrick Jones Jr. vs Jarace Walker: who to start in Week 2
Derrick Jones Jr. plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Jarace Walker 4. For that week alone, start Jarace Walker: 87.1 projected fantasy points to 65.0 for Derrick Jones Jr.. Over the season, Jarace Walker leads in points leagues (21.8 fantasy points a game to 21.7) and Derrick Jones Jr. in 9-cat leagues (128th against 256th). 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 27, 8:32 PM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
Parlae may earn a commission from price links.
- Points leagues
- #173
- 21.7 FP/G, slot 15.05
- 9-cat leagues
- #128
- -2.0 z, slot 11.08, $4
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #171
- 21.8 FP/G, slot 15.03
- 9-cat leagues
- #256
- -5.1 z, slot 22.04
The pick in points leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Jarace Walker. 21.8 fantasy points per game against 21.7, 171st on our board to 173rd.
9-cat leagues: Derrick Jones Jr. instead, -2.0 in summed z-scores against -5.1 (128th to 256th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Derrick Jones Jr. is ahead in 5 (STL, BLK, FG%, FT% and TO) and Jarace Walker in 3 (REB, AST and 3PM).
Per 36 minutes, Jarace Walker produces more: 31.8 fantasy points to 28.3, on 24.7 minutes a night against 27.6. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Derrick Jones Jr. plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Jarace Walker 4. For that week alone, start Jarace Walker: 87.1 projected fantasy points to 65.0 for Derrick Jones Jr..
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.
Advertisement
Per game, side by side
| Per game | Derrick Jones Jr. | Jarace Walker |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 21.7 | 21.8 |
| Minutes | 27.6 | 24.7 |
| PointsPTS | 10.3 | 10.3 |
| ReboundsREB | 3.8 | 5.2 |
| AssistsAST | 1.5 | 2.3 |
| StealsSTL | 0.9 | 0.8 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Threes3PM | 1.3 | 1.5 |
| Field goal %FG% | 51.0% | 40.0% |
| Free throw %FT% | 73.0% | 72.4% |
| TurnoversTO | 0.8 | 2.0 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 50 | 76 |
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. | Jarace Walker |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 28.3 | 31.8 |
| Points | 13.5 | 15.0 |
| Rebounds | 4.9 | 7.6 |
| Assists | 2.0 | 3.4 |
| Steals | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| Blocks | 1.1 | 0.6 |
| Threes | 1.7 | 2.2 |
| Turnovers | 1.0 | 2.9 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
Advertisement
9-category z-scores
| Category | Derrick Jones Jr. | Jarace Walker |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -1.1 | -1.1 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.9 | -0.2 |
| AssistsAST | -1.0 | -0.7 |
| StealsSTL | -0.3 | -0.6 |
| BlocksBLK | +0.3 | -0.5 |
| Threes3PM | -0.4 | -0.1 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | +0.3 | -1.3 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -0.4 | -0.5 |
| TurnoversTO | +1.4 | -0.1 |
| Total | -2.0 | -5.1 |
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
No punt changes the answer: Derrick Jones Jr. stays ahead whichever category you give up.
| Punt | Derrick Jones Jr. | Jarace Walker |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -1.0 (#106) | -4.0 (#271) |
| REB | -1.3 (#107) | -5.1 (#294) |
| AST | -1.0 (#97) | -4.4 (#261) |
| STL | -1.8 (#137) | -4.5 (#270) |
| BLK | -2.5 (#154) | -4.8 (#258) |
| 3PM | -1.7 (#124) | -4.9 (#272) |
| FG% | -2.6 (#146) | -4.1 (#211) |
| FT% | -1.6 (#120) | -4.6 (#233) |
| TO | -3.4 (#153) | -5.0 (#211) |
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)
- Derrick Jones Jr.: 3 games (Wed LAL, Fri @MIN, Sun @GSW).
- Jarace Walker: 4 games (Mon @MIL, Wed PHI, Fri @MIA, Sun BKN), 1 back-to-back.
Recent games
- Derrick Jones Jr.: 23.9 fantasy points a game over his last 3 of 2026-27, against 21.7 on the board.
- Jarace Walker: 16.1 fantasy points a game over his last 4 of 2026-27, against 21.8 on the board.
Advertisement
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Derrick Jones Jr. playing tonight? · Is Jarace Walker playing tonight?
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Derrick Jones Jr. or Jarace Walker?
Points leagues: Jarace Walker. 21.8 fantasy points per game against 21.7, 171st on our board to 173rd. 9-cat leagues: Derrick Jones Jr. instead, -2.0 in summed z-scores against -5.1 (128th to 256th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Derrick Jones Jr. or Jarace Walker?
Category by category, Derrick Jones Jr. is ahead in 5 (STL, BLK, FG%, FT% and TO) and Jarace Walker in 3 (REB, AST and 3PM).
Who should I start in Week 2, Derrick Jones Jr. or Jarace Walker?
Derrick Jones Jr. plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Jarace Walker 4. For that week alone, start Jarace Walker: 87.1 projected fantasy points to 65.0 for Derrick Jones Jr..
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 27, 2026 at 8:32 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number