Isaiah Joe vs Kevin Huerter: who to start in Week 1
Isaiah Joe plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Kevin Huerter 3. For that week alone, start Kevin Huerter: 61.2 projected fantasy points to 53.9 for Isaiah Joe. Over the season, Kevin Huerter leads in points leagues (20.4 fantasy points a game to 18.0) and Isaiah Joe in 9-cat leagues (187th against 189th). 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, 10:27 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
Parlae may earn a commission from price links.
- Points leagues
- #232
- 18.0 FP/G, slot 20.04
- 9-cat leagues
- #187
- -3.4 z, slot 16.07
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #199
- 20.4 FP/G, slot 17.07
- 9-cat leagues
- #189
- -3.5 z, slot 16.09
The pick in points leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Kevin Huerter. 20.4 fantasy points per game against 18.0, 199th on our board to 232nd.
9-cat leagues: Isaiah Joe instead, -3.4 in summed z-scores against -3.5 (187th to 189th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Isaiah Joe is ahead in 5 (PTS, 3PM, FG%, FT% and TO) and Kevin Huerter in 4 (REB, AST, STL and BLK).
Per 36 minutes, Kevin Huerter produces more: 33.3 fantasy points to 30.8, on 22.0 minutes a night against 21.0. He already plays as much or more, so the gap is not a role waiting to grow.
Isaiah Joe plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Kevin Huerter 3. For that week alone, start Kevin Huerter: 61.2 projected fantasy points to 53.9 for Isaiah Joe.
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 | Isaiah Joe | Kevin Huerter |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 18.0 | 20.4 |
| Minutes | 21.0 | 22.0 |
| PointsPTS | 10.9 | 9.3 |
| ReboundsREB | 2.5 | 3.6 |
| AssistsAST | 1.3 | 2.5 |
| StealsSTL | 0.7 | 0.9 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.2 | 0.5 |
| Threes3PM | 2.4 | 1.4 |
| Field goal %FG% | 43.8% | 43.7% |
| Free throw %FT% | 85.6% | 77.5% |
| TurnoversTO | 0.7 | 1.0 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 71 | 69 |
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 | Isaiah Joe | Kevin Huerter |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 30.8 | 33.3 |
| Points | 18.8 | 15.2 |
| Rebounds | 4.4 | 5.9 |
| Assists | 2.3 | 4.1 |
| Steals | 1.2 | 1.4 |
| Blocks | 0.3 | 0.8 |
| Threes | 4.2 | 2.3 |
| Turnovers | 1.2 | 1.7 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
Advertisement
9-category z-scores
| Category | Isaiah Joe | Kevin Huerter |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -0.9 | -1.2 |
| ReboundsREB | -1.5 | -1.0 |
| AssistsAST | -1.1 | -0.5 |
| StealsSTL | -0.9 | -0.4 |
| BlocksBLK | -1.0 | -0.4 |
| Threes3PM | +0.8 | -0.2 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.6 | -0.7 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.4 | -0.1 |
| TurnoversTO | +1.5 | +1.0 |
| Total | -3.4 | -3.5 |
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, threes, free throw percentage and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to Kevin Huerter.
| Punt | Isaiah Joe | Kevin Huerter |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -2.5 (#196) | -2.3 (#188) |
| REB | -2.0 (#134) | -2.7 (#172) |
| AST | -2.3 (#170) | -3.0 (#197) |
| STL | -2.6 (#170) | -3.2 (#194) |
| BLK | -2.6 (#150) | -3.3 (#184) |
| 3PM | -4.3 (#240) | -3.3 (#195) |
| FG% | -2.8 (#149) | -3.1 (#158) |
| FT% | -3.8 (#215) | -3.5 (#196) |
| TO | -5.0 (#211) | -4.7 (#197) |
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)
- Isaiah Joe: 3 games (Tue BOS, Fri @MIA, Sun @PHI).
- Kevin Huerter: 3 games (Tue BOS, Fri @MIA, Sun @PHI).
Recent games
- Isaiah Joe: 17.3 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 18.0 on the board.
- Kevin Huerter: 14.4 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 20.4 on the board.
Advertisement
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Isaiah Joe playing tonight? · Is Kevin Huerter playing tonight?
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Isaiah Joe or Kevin Huerter?
Points leagues: Kevin Huerter. 20.4 fantasy points per game against 18.0, 199th on our board to 232nd. 9-cat leagues: Isaiah Joe instead, -3.4 in summed z-scores against -3.5 (187th to 189th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Isaiah Joe or Kevin Huerter?
Category by category, Isaiah Joe is ahead in 5 (PTS, 3PM, FG%, FT% and TO) and Kevin Huerter in 4 (REB, AST, STL and BLK).
Who should I start in Week 1, Isaiah Joe or Kevin Huerter?
Isaiah Joe plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Kevin Huerter 3. For that week alone, start Kevin Huerter: 61.2 projected fantasy points to 53.9 for Isaiah Joe.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 24, 2026 at 10:27 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number