Devin Booker vs LaMelo Ball: who to start in Week 2
Devin Booker plays 2 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), LaMelo Ball 4. For that week alone, start LaMelo Ball: 148.8 projected fantasy points to 81.6 for Devin Booker. Over the season, Devin Booker leads in both formats: 40.8 fantasy points a game to 37.2, and 34th against 35th 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 Oct 26, 6:30 PM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #22
- 40.8 FP/G, slot 2.10, $28
- 9-cat leagues
- #34
- +1.5 z, slot 3.10, $24
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #40
- 37.2 FP/G, slot 4.04, $23
- 9-cat leagues
- #35
- +1.2 z, slot 3.11, $22
The call
Points leagues: Devin Booker. 40.8 fantasy points per game against 37.2, 22nd on our board to 40th.
9-cat leagues: Devin Booker again, +1.5 in summed z-scores against +1.2 (34th to 35th).
Category by category, Devin Booker is ahead in 4 (PTS, BLK, FG% and FT%) and LaMelo Ball in 5 (REB, AST, STL, 3PM and TO).
Per 36 minutes, LaMelo Ball produces more: 49.4 fantasy points to 43.9, on 27.1 minutes a night against 33.5. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Devin Booker plays 2 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), LaMelo Ball 4. For that week alone, start LaMelo Ball: 148.8 projected fantasy points to 81.6 for Devin Booker.
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 | Devin Booker | LaMelo Ball |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 40.8 | 37.2 |
| Minutes | 33.5 | 27.1 |
| PointsPTS | 26.9 | 19.4 |
| ReboundsREB | 4.1 | 4.5 |
| AssistsAST | 5.9 | 7.0 |
| StealsSTL | 0.8 | 1.3 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.4 | 0.2 |
| Threes3PM | 1.8 | 3.8 |
| Field goal %FG% | 47.7% | 40.9% |
| Free throw %FT% | 88.1% | 87.0% |
| TurnoversTO | 3.1 | 2.7 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 64 | 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 | Devin Booker | LaMelo Ball |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 43.9 | 49.4 |
| Points | 28.9 | 25.7 |
| Rebounds | 4.4 | 5.9 |
| Assists | 6.3 | 9.3 |
| Steals | 0.8 | 1.8 |
| Blocks | 0.4 | 0.3 |
| Threes | 1.9 | 5.0 |
| Turnovers | 3.4 | 3.5 |
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 | Devin Booker | LaMelo Ball |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | +1.9 | +0.5 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.7 | -0.5 |
| AssistsAST | +1.1 | +1.7 |
| StealsSTL | -0.7 | +0.8 |
| BlocksBLK | -0.6 | -1.0 |
| Threes3PM | +0.1 | +2.2 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.2 | -2.1 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +2.2 | +0.6 |
| TurnoversTO | -1.5 | -1.0 |
| Total | +1.5 | +1.2 |
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, blocks, field goal percentage and free throw percentage flips the 9-cat answer to LaMelo Ball.
| Punt | Devin Booker | LaMelo Ball |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -0.4 (#81) | +0.5 (#47) |
| REB | +2.3 (#19) | +1.9 (#27) |
| AST | +0.2 (#49) | -0.7 (#83) |
| STL | +2.1 (#21) | +0.3 (#57) |
| BLK | +2.1 (#26) | +2.2 (#24) |
| 3PM | +1.0 (#38) | -1.2 (#101) |
| FG% | +1.8 (#29) | +3.6 (#15) |
| FT% | -0.9 (#93) | +0.4 (#48) |
| TO | +3.0 (#23) | +2.2 (#32) |
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)
- Devin Booker: 2 games (Mon @OKC, Fri DEN).
- LaMelo Ball: 4 games (Mon @CLE, Wed GSW, Fri LAC, Sat @SAS), 2 back-to-backs.
Recent games
- Devin Booker: 47.9 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 40.8 on the board.
- LaMelo Ball: 32.7 fantasy points a game over his last 3 of 2026-27, against 37.2 on the board.
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Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Devin Booker playing tonight? · Is LaMelo Ball playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Devin Booker, LaMelo Ball
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Devin Booker or LaMelo Ball?
Points leagues: Devin Booker. 40.8 fantasy points per game against 37.2, 22nd on our board to 40th. 9-cat leagues: Devin Booker again, +1.5 in summed z-scores against +1.2 (34th to 35th).
Who wins more categories, Devin Booker or LaMelo Ball?
Category by category, Devin Booker is ahead in 4 (PTS, BLK, FG% and FT%) and LaMelo Ball in 5 (REB, AST, STL, 3PM and TO).
Who should I start in Week 2, Devin Booker or LaMelo Ball?
Devin Booker plays 2 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), LaMelo Ball 4. For that week alone, start LaMelo Ball: 148.8 projected fantasy points to 81.6 for Devin Booker.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 26, 2026 at 6:30 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number