Jabari Smith Jr. vs Neemias Queta: who to start in Week 1
Jabari Smith Jr. plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Neemias Queta 2. For that week alone, start Jabari Smith Jr.: 93.4 projected fantasy points to 55.0 for Neemias Queta. Over the season, Jabari Smith Jr. leads in both formats: 31.1 fantasy points a game to 27.5, and 55th against 57th 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 22, 2:56 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #73
- 31.1 FP/G, slot 7.01, $13
- 9-cat leagues
- #55
- +0.1 z, slot 5.07, $16
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #110
- 27.5 FP/G, slot 10.02, $8
- 9-cat leagues
- #57
- +0.0 z, slot 5.09, $16
The call
Points leagues: Jabari Smith Jr.. 31.1 fantasy points per game against 27.5, 73rd on our board to 110th.
9-cat leagues: Jabari Smith Jr. again, +0.1 in summed z-scores against +0.0 (55th to 57th).
Category by category, Jabari Smith Jr. is ahead in 4 (PTS, AST, 3PM and FT%) and Neemias Queta in 4 (REB, BLK, FG% and TO).
Per 36 minutes, Neemias Queta produces more: 39.4 fantasy points to 31.9, on 25.1 minutes a night against 35.2. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Jabari Smith Jr. plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Neemias Queta 2. For that week alone, start Jabari Smith Jr.: 93.4 projected fantasy points to 55.0 for Neemias Queta.
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 | Jabari Smith Jr. | Neemias Queta |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 31.1 | 27.5 |
| Minutes | 35.2 | 25.1 |
| PointsPTS | 16.7 | 9.8 |
| ReboundsREB | 6.8 | 8.1 |
| AssistsAST | 1.8 | 1.7 |
| StealsSTL | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.9 | 1.4 |
| Threes3PM | 2.4 | 0.0 |
| Field goal %FG% | 46.6% | 64.4% |
| Free throw %FT% | 77.8% | 69.2% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.3 | 1.0 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 77 | 76 |
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 | Jabari Smith Jr. | Neemias Queta |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 31.9 | 39.4 |
| Points | 17.1 | 14.0 |
| Rebounds | 6.9 | 11.6 |
| Assists | 1.8 | 2.4 |
| Steals | 0.8 | 1.2 |
| Blocks | 0.9 | 1.9 |
| Threes | 2.5 | 0.0 |
| Turnovers | 1.4 | 1.4 |
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 | Jabari Smith Jr. | Neemias Queta |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | +0.0 | -1.2 |
| ReboundsREB | +0.4 | +1.0 |
| AssistsAST | -0.9 | -1.0 |
| StealsSTL | -0.6 | -0.6 |
| BlocksBLK | +0.4 | +1.4 |
| Threes3PM | +0.8 | -1.6 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.5 | +1.6 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -0.2 | -0.8 |
| TurnoversTO | +0.7 | +1.1 |
| Total | +0.1 | +0.0 |
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, assists, threes and free throw percentage flips the 9-cat answer to Neemias Queta.
| Punt | Jabari Smith Jr. | Neemias Queta |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | +0.0 (#56) | +1.2 (#30) |
| REB | -0.4 (#65) | -1.3 (#108) |
| AST | +1.0 (#36) | +1.0 (#33) |
| STL | +0.7 (#42) | +0.6 (#44) |
| BLK | -0.4 (#70) | -1.7 (#118) |
| 3PM | -0.7 (#86) | +1.7 (#29) |
| FG% | +0.5 (#49) | -2.1 (#125) |
| FT% | +0.2 (#56) | +0.8 (#41) |
| TO | -0.6 (#70) | -1.2 (#91) |
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 391 ranked players.
Week 1 (Oct 19-25)
- Jabari Smith Jr.: 3 games (Wed DAL, Fri @SAS, Sat @ATL), 1 back-to-back.
- Neemias Queta: 2 games (Tue @DET, Fri NYK).
Recent games
- Jabari Smith Jr.: 42.5 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 31.1 on the board.
- Neemias Queta: 18.8 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 27.5 on the board.
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Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Jabari Smith Jr. playing tonight? · Is Neemias Queta playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Neemias Queta
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Jabari Smith Jr. or Neemias Queta?
Points leagues: Jabari Smith Jr.. 31.1 fantasy points per game against 27.5, 73rd on our board to 110th. 9-cat leagues: Jabari Smith Jr. again, +0.1 in summed z-scores against +0.0 (55th to 57th).
Who wins more categories, Jabari Smith Jr. or Neemias Queta?
Category by category, Jabari Smith Jr. is ahead in 4 (PTS, AST, 3PM and FT%) and Neemias Queta in 4 (REB, BLK, FG% and TO).
Who should I start in Week 1, Jabari Smith Jr. or Neemias Queta?
Jabari Smith Jr. plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Neemias Queta 2. For that week alone, start Jabari Smith Jr.: 93.4 projected fantasy points to 55.0 for Neemias Queta.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 22, 2026 at 2:56 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number