Jaden McDaniels vs Jaime Jaquez Jr.: who to start in Week 1
Jaden McDaniels plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Jaime Jaquez Jr. 3. For that week alone, start Jaime Jaquez Jr.: 88.2 projected fantasy points to 86.9 for Jaden McDaniels. Over the season, Jaime Jaquez Jr. leads in points leagues (29.4 fantasy points a game to 29.0) and Jaden McDaniels in 9-cat leagues (46th against 154th). 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, 1:54 PM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
Parlae may earn a commission from price links.
- Points leagues
- #95
- 29.0 FP/G, slot 8.11, $10
- 9-cat leagues
- #46
- +0.6 z, slot 4.10, $19
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #92
- 29.4 FP/G, slot 8.08, $11
- 9-cat leagues
- #154
- -2.6 z, slot 13.10, $1
The pick in points leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Jaime Jaquez Jr.. 29.4 fantasy points per game against 29.0, 92nd on our board to 95th.
9-cat leagues: Jaden McDaniels instead, +0.6 in summed z-scores against -2.6 (46th to 154th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Jaden McDaniels is ahead in 6 (STL, BLK, 3PM, FG%, FT% and TO) and Jaime Jaquez Jr. in 3 (PTS, REB and AST).
Per 36 minutes, Jaime Jaquez Jr. produces more: 37.2 fantasy points to 33.1, on 28.4 minutes a night against 31.6. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Jaden McDaniels plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Jaime Jaquez Jr. 3. For that week alone, start Jaime Jaquez Jr.: 88.2 projected fantasy points to 86.9 for Jaden McDaniels.
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 | Jaden McDaniels | Jaime Jaquez Jr. |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 29.0 | 29.4 |
| Minutes | 31.6 | 28.4 |
| PointsPTS | 15.0 | 15.8 |
| ReboundsREB | 4.5 | 5.1 |
| AssistsAST | 2.6 | 4.5 |
| StealsSTL | 1.2 | 0.6 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.9 | 0.3 |
| Threes3PM | 1.4 | 0.8 |
| Field goal %FG% | 52.9% | 51.7% |
| Free throw %FT% | 83.5% | 77.6% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.8 | 2.0 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 73 | 75 |
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 | Jaden McDaniels | Jaime Jaquez Jr. |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 33.1 | 37.2 |
| Points | 17.1 | 20.0 |
| Rebounds | 5.1 | 6.5 |
| Assists | 3.0 | 5.7 |
| Steals | 1.4 | 0.8 |
| Blocks | 1.1 | 0.3 |
| Threes | 1.6 | 1.0 |
| Turnovers | 2.1 | 2.6 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
Advertisement
9-category z-scores
| Category | Jaden McDaniels | Jaime Jaquez Jr. |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -0.3 | -0.1 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.6 | -0.3 |
| AssistsAST | -0.5 | +0.4 |
| StealsSTL | +0.6 | -1.1 |
| BlocksBLK | +0.5 | -0.9 |
| Threes3PM | -0.2 | -0.9 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | +0.8 | +0.6 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.3 | -0.2 |
| TurnoversTO | +0.1 | -0.2 |
| Total | +0.6 | -2.6 |
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: Jaden McDaniels stays ahead whichever category you give up.
| Punt | Jaden McDaniels | Jaime Jaquez Jr. |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | +0.8 (#39) | -2.5 (#195) |
| REB | +1.2 (#36) | -2.4 (#162) |
| AST | +1.0 (#34) | -3.1 (#204) |
| STL | -0.1 (#63) | -1.6 (#122) |
| BLK | -0.0 (#59) | -1.9 (#125) |
| 3PM | +0.7 (#41) | -1.8 (#129) |
| FG% | -0.3 (#66) | -3.6 (#188) |
| FT% | +0.3 (#55) | -2.5 (#156) |
| TO | +0.5 (#55) | -2.5 (#120) |
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)
- Jaden McDaniels: 3 games (Wed @MIA, Fri @ORL, Sun TOR).
- Jaime Jaquez Jr.: 3 games (Wed @WAS, Fri CHI, Sat @PHI), 1 back-to-back.
Recent games
- Jaden McDaniels: 35.1 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 29.0 on the board.
- Jaime Jaquez Jr.: 31.4 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 29.4 on the board.
Advertisement
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Jaden McDaniels playing tonight? · Is Jaime Jaquez Jr. playing tonight?
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Jaden McDaniels or Jaime Jaquez Jr.?
Points leagues: Jaime Jaquez Jr.. 29.4 fantasy points per game against 29.0, 92nd on our board to 95th. 9-cat leagues: Jaden McDaniels instead, +0.6 in summed z-scores against -2.6 (46th to 154th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Jaden McDaniels or Jaime Jaquez Jr.?
Category by category, Jaden McDaniels is ahead in 6 (STL, BLK, 3PM, FG%, FT% and TO) and Jaime Jaquez Jr. in 3 (PTS, REB and AST).
Who should I start in Week 1, Jaden McDaniels or Jaime Jaquez Jr.?
Jaden McDaniels plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Jaime Jaquez Jr. 3. For that week alone, start Jaime Jaquez Jr.: 88.2 projected fantasy points to 86.9 for Jaden McDaniels.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 22, 2026 at 1:54 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number