Dillon Brooks vs Mikal Bridges: who to start in Week 1
Dillon Brooks plays 2 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Mikal Bridges 3. For that week alone, start Mikal Bridges: 82.4 projected fantasy points to 55.3 for Dillon Brooks. Over the season, Dillon Brooks leads in points leagues (27.7 fantasy points a game to 27.5) and Mikal Bridges in 9-cat leagues (64th against 177th). 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 25, 10:29 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
Parlae may earn a commission from price links.
- Points leagues
- #107
- 27.7 FP/G, slot 9.11, $8
- 9-cat leagues
- #177
- -3.2 z, slot 15.09
The pick in points leagues.
- Points leagues
- #109
- 27.5 FP/G, slot 10.01, $8
- 9-cat leagues
- #64
- -0.2 z, slot 6.04, $14
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Dillon Brooks. 27.7 fantasy points per game against 27.5, 107th on our board to 109th.
9-cat leagues: Mikal Bridges instead, -0.2 in summed z-scores against -3.2 (64th to 177th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Dillon Brooks is ahead in 3 (PTS, 3PM and FT%) and Mikal Bridges in 5 (AST, STL, BLK, FG% and TO).
Per 36 minutes, Dillon Brooks produces more: 32.8 fantasy points to 30.7, on 30.3 minutes a night against 32.2. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Dillon Brooks plays 2 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Mikal Bridges 3. For that week alone, start Mikal Bridges: 82.4 projected fantasy points to 55.3 for Dillon Brooks.
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 | Dillon Brooks | Mikal Bridges |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 27.7 | 27.5 |
| Minutes | 30.3 | 32.2 |
| PointsPTS | 19.3 | 12.9 |
| ReboundsREB | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| AssistsAST | 1.9 | 3.6 |
| StealsSTL | 0.9 | 1.2 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.1 | 0.7 |
| Threes3PM | 2.1 | 1.7 |
| Field goal %FG% | 43.5% | 46.0% |
| Free throw %FT% | 83.5% | 82.7% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.8 | 1.0 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 56 | 82 |
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 | Dillon Brooks | Mikal Bridges |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 32.8 | 30.7 |
| Points | 22.9 | 14.5 |
| Rebounds | 4.2 | 4.0 |
| Assists | 2.2 | 4.0 |
| Steals | 1.1 | 1.4 |
| Blocks | 0.2 | 0.8 |
| Threes | 2.5 | 1.9 |
| Turnovers | 2.1 | 1.1 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
Advertisement
9-category z-scores
| Category | Dillon Brooks | Mikal Bridges |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | +0.5 | -0.6 |
| ReboundsREB | -1.0 | -0.9 |
| AssistsAST | -0.9 | -0.0 |
| StealsSTL | -0.4 | +0.5 |
| BlocksBLK | -1.1 | +0.1 |
| Threes3PM | +0.5 | +0.0 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -1.4 | -0.5 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.4 | +0.1 |
| TurnoversTO | +0.1 | +1.1 |
| Total | -3.2 | -0.2 |
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
No punt changes the answer: Mikal Bridges stays ahead whichever category you give up.
| Punt | Dillon Brooks | Mikal Bridges |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -3.7 (#256) | +0.3 (#50) |
| REB | -2.3 (#148) | +0.7 (#43) |
| AST | -2.4 (#171) | -0.3 (#62) |
| STL | -2.9 (#178) | -0.8 (#86) |
| BLK | -2.2 (#144) | -0.4 (#67) |
| 3PM | -3.8 (#217) | -0.3 (#71) |
| FG% | -1.8 (#116) | +0.3 (#55) |
| FT% | -3.7 (#205) | -0.4 (#73) |
| TO | -3.3 (#150) | -1.4 (#92) |
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 1 (Oct 19-25)
- Dillon Brooks: 2 games (Wed @POR, Sat GSW).
- Mikal Bridges: 3 games (Tue PHI, Fri @BOS, Sun ORL).
Recent games
- Dillon Brooks: 17.9 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 27.7 on the board.
- Mikal Bridges: 10.6 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 27.5 on the board.
Advertisement
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Dillon Brooks playing tonight? · Is Mikal Bridges playing tonight?
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Dillon Brooks or Mikal Bridges?
Points leagues: Dillon Brooks. 27.7 fantasy points per game against 27.5, 107th on our board to 109th. 9-cat leagues: Mikal Bridges instead, -0.2 in summed z-scores against -3.2 (64th to 177th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Dillon Brooks or Mikal Bridges?
Category by category, Dillon Brooks is ahead in 3 (PTS, 3PM and FT%) and Mikal Bridges in 5 (AST, STL, BLK, FG% and TO).
Who should I start in Week 1, Dillon Brooks or Mikal Bridges?
Dillon Brooks plays 2 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Mikal Bridges 3. For that week alone, start Mikal Bridges: 82.4 projected fantasy points to 55.3 for Dillon Brooks.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 25, 2026 at 10:29 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number