Franz Wagner vs Ja Morant: who to start in Week 3
Franz Wagner plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Ja Morant 4. For that week alone, start Franz Wagner: 104.8 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Ja Morant. Over the season, Franz Wagner leads in points leagues (34.9 fantasy points a game to 34.3) and Ja Morant in 9-cat leagues (119th against 125th). 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, 12:36 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #56
- 34.9 FP/G, slot 5.08, $18
- 9-cat leagues
- #125
- -1.8 z, slot 11.05, $5
The pick in points leagues.
- Points leagues
- #59
- 34.3 FP/G, slot 5.11, $17
- 9-cat leagues
- #119
- -1.7 z, slot 10.11, $6
Out (Hamstring)
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Franz Wagner. 34.9 fantasy points per game against 34.3, 56th on our board to 59th.
9-cat leagues: Ja Morant instead, -1.7 in summed z-scores against -1.8 (119th to 125th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Franz Wagner is ahead in 5 (PTS, REB, 3PM, FG% and TO) and Ja Morant in 3 (AST, STL and FT%).
Per 36 minutes, Ja Morant produces more: 44.3 fantasy points to 39.9, on 27.9 minutes a night against 31.6. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Franz Wagner plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Ja Morant 4. For that week alone, start Franz Wagner: 104.8 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Ja Morant.
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 | Franz Wagner | Ja Morant |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 34.9 | 34.3 |
| Minutes | 31.6 | 27.9 |
| PointsPTS | 20.3 | 18.7 |
| ReboundsREB | 5.6 | 3.1 |
| AssistsAST | 4.6 | 7.5 |
| StealsSTL | 0.9 | 1.0 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Threes3PM | 1.3 | 1.1 |
| Field goal %FG% | 45.4% | 43.2% |
| Free throw %FT% | 81.0% | 89.3% |
| TurnoversTO | 2.5 | 3.1 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 34 | 20 |
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 | Franz Wagner | Ja Morant |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 39.9 | 44.3 |
| Points | 23.2 | 24.1 |
| Rebounds | 6.4 | 4.0 |
| Assists | 5.3 | 9.7 |
| Steals | 1.0 | 1.3 |
| Blocks | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Threes | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| Turnovers | 2.8 | 4.0 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
9-category z-scores
| Category | Franz Wagner | Ja Morant |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | +0.7 | +0.4 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.1 | -1.2 |
| AssistsAST | +0.4 | +1.9 |
| StealsSTL | -0.4 | -0.2 |
| BlocksBLK | -0.9 | -0.9 |
| Threes3PM | -0.4 | -0.6 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.7 | -1.2 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.2 | +1.5 |
| TurnoversTO | -0.6 | -1.4 |
| Total | -1.8 | -1.7 |
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 assists, steals and free throw percentage flips the 9-cat answer to Franz Wagner.
| Punt | Franz Wagner | Ja Morant |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -2.5 (#198) | -2.1 (#171) |
| REB | -1.9 (#130) | -0.5 (#83) |
| AST | -2.4 (#165) | -3.6 (#224) |
| STL | -1.5 (#117) | -1.5 (#119) |
| BLK | -1.1 (#100) | -0.8 (#89) |
| 3PM | -1.5 (#117) | -1.2 (#107) |
| FG% | -1.5 (#108) | -0.5 (#73) |
| FT% | -2.1 (#148) | -3.2 (#195) |
| TO | -1.2 (#94) | -0.3 (#69) |
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 432 ranked players.
Week 3 (Nov 2-8)
- Franz Wagner: 3 games (Mon WAS, Thu @PHX, Sat @GSW), 1 back-to-back.
- Ja Morant: 4 games (Mon @DEN, Wed @PHX, Fri @LAL, Sat SAS), 1 back-to-back, listed Out.
Recent games
- Franz Wagner: 37.4 fantasy points a game over his last 7 of 2026-27, against 34.9 on the board.
- Ja Morant: 28.8 fantasy points a game over his last 4 of 2026-27, against 34.3 on the board.
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Franz Wagner playing tonight? · Is Ja Morant playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Franz Wagner, Ja Morant
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Franz Wagner or Ja Morant?
Points leagues: Franz Wagner. 34.9 fantasy points per game against 34.3, 56th on our board to 59th. 9-cat leagues: Ja Morant instead, -1.7 in summed z-scores against -1.8 (119th to 125th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Franz Wagner or Ja Morant?
Category by category, Franz Wagner is ahead in 5 (PTS, REB, 3PM, FG% and TO) and Ja Morant in 3 (AST, STL and FT%).
Who should I start in Week 3, Franz Wagner or Ja Morant?
Franz Wagner plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Ja Morant 4. For that week alone, start Franz Wagner: 104.8 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Ja Morant.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Nov 3, 2026 at 12:36 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number