Dylan Cardwell vs RJ Barrett: who to start in Week 1
Dylan Cardwell plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), RJ Barrett 3. For that week alone, start RJ Barrett: 97.3 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Dylan Cardwell. Over the season, RJ Barrett leads in points leagues (32.4 fantasy points a game to 22.3) and Dylan Cardwell in 9-cat leagues (140th against 142nd). 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 24, 8:26 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #162
- 22.3 FP/G, slot 14.06
- 9-cat leagues
- #140
- -2.2 z, slot 12.08, $3
Out (Calf)
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #61
- 32.4 FP/G, slot 6.01, $15
- 9-cat leagues
- #142
- -2.2 z, slot 12.10, $3
The pick in points leagues.
The call
Points leagues: RJ Barrett. 32.4 fantasy points per game against 22.3, 61st on our board to 162nd.
9-cat leagues: Dylan Cardwell instead, -2.2 in summed z-scores against -2.2 (140th to 142nd), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Dylan Cardwell is ahead in 6 (REB, STL, BLK, FG%, FT% and TO) and RJ Barrett in 3 (PTS, AST and 3PM).
Per 36 minutes, Dylan Cardwell produces more: 39.0 fantasy points to 38.6, on 20.6 minutes a night against 30.2. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Dylan Cardwell plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), RJ Barrett 3. For that week alone, start RJ Barrett: 97.3 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Dylan Cardwell.
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 | Dylan Cardwell | RJ Barrett |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 22.3 | 32.4 |
| Minutes | 20.6 | 30.2 |
| PointsPTS | 5.4 | 19.5 |
| ReboundsREB | 7.5 | 5.4 |
| AssistsAST | 1.4 | 3.3 |
| StealsSTL | 0.7 | 0.7 |
| BlocksBLK | 1.5 | 0.4 |
| Threes3PM | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| Field goal %FG% | 58.7% | 50.1% |
| Free throw %FT% | 51.0% | 71.0% |
| TurnoversTO | 0.9 | 1.6 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 44 | 57 |
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 | Dylan Cardwell | RJ Barrett |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| Points | 9.4 | 23.2 |
| Rebounds | 13.2 | 6.4 |
| Assists | 2.5 | 4.0 |
| Steals | 1.2 | 0.8 |
| Blocks | 2.7 | 0.4 |
| Threes | 0.1 | 1.8 |
| Turnovers | 1.5 | 1.9 |
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 | Dylan Cardwell | RJ Barrett |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -1.9 | +0.6 |
| ReboundsREB | +0.8 | -0.2 |
| AssistsAST | -1.1 | -0.1 |
| StealsSTL | -0.9 | -1.0 |
| BlocksBLK | +1.7 | -0.7 |
| Threes3PM | -1.6 | -0.1 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | +0.7 | +0.4 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -1.0 | -1.4 |
| TurnoversTO | +1.2 | +0.3 |
| Total | -2.2 | -2.2 |
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 rebounds, steals, blocks, field goal percentage, free throw percentage and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to RJ Barrett.
| Punt | Dylan Cardwell | RJ Barrett |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -0.3 (#68) | -2.8 (#207) |
| REB | -3.3 (#212) | -2.4 (#154) |
| AST | -1.1 (#105) | -2.2 (#162) |
| STL | -1.3 (#111) | -1.3 (#109) |
| BLK | -4.3 (#244) | -1.7 (#120) |
| 3PM | -0.4 (#77) | -2.2 (#146) |
| FG% | -3.5 (#180) | -3.3 (#167) |
| FT% | -1.0 (#95) | -0.9 (#92) |
| TO | -3.6 (#158) | -2.5 (#126) |
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)
- Dylan Cardwell: 3 games (Wed @LAC, Fri POR, Sun MEM), listed Out.
- RJ Barrett: 3 games (Wed CHI, Fri @WAS, Sun @MIN).
Recent games
- Dylan Cardwell: 23.3 fantasy points a game over his last 10 of 2025-26, against 22.3 on the board.
- RJ Barrett: 35.5 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 32.4 on the board.
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Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Dylan Cardwell playing tonight? · Is RJ Barrett playing tonight?
Rookie cards: RJ Barrett
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Dylan Cardwell or RJ Barrett?
Points leagues: RJ Barrett. 32.4 fantasy points per game against 22.3, 61st on our board to 162nd. 9-cat leagues: Dylan Cardwell instead, -2.2 in summed z-scores against -2.2 (140th to 142nd), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Dylan Cardwell or RJ Barrett?
Category by category, Dylan Cardwell is ahead in 6 (REB, STL, BLK, FG%, FT% and TO) and RJ Barrett in 3 (PTS, AST and 3PM).
Who should I start in Week 1, Dylan Cardwell or RJ Barrett?
Dylan Cardwell plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), RJ Barrett 3. For that week alone, start RJ Barrett: 97.3 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Dylan Cardwell.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 24, 2026 at 8:26 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number