Jalen Duren vs Lauri Markkanen: who to start in Week 2
Jalen Duren plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Lauri Markkanen 3. For that week alone, start Lauri Markkanen: 113.6 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Jalen Duren. Over the season, Lauri Markkanen leads in both formats: 37.9 fantasy points a game to 37.2, and 20th against 25th 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 27, 8:32 PM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #39
- 37.2 FP/G, slot 4.03, $23
- 9-cat leagues
- #25
- +2.2 z, slot 3.01, $28
Out (Hamstring)
- Points leagues
- #37
- 37.9 FP/G, slot 4.01, $24
- 9-cat leagues
- #20
- +3.1 z, slot 2.08, $32
Day to day (Wrist)
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Lauri Markkanen. 37.9 fantasy points per game against 37.2, 37th on our board to 39th.
9-cat leagues: Lauri Markkanen again, +3.1 in summed z-scores against +2.2 (20th to 25th).
Category by category, Jalen Duren is ahead in 3 (REB, BLK and FG%) and Lauri Markkanen in 4 (PTS, 3PM, FT% and TO).
Per 36 minutes, Jalen Duren produces more: 49.4 fantasy points to 41.2, on 27.1 minutes a night against 33.1. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Jalen Duren plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Lauri Markkanen 3. For that week alone, start Lauri Markkanen: 113.6 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Jalen Duren.
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 | Jalen Duren | Lauri Markkanen |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 37.2 | 37.9 |
| Minutes | 27.1 | 33.1 |
| PointsPTS | 18.7 | 24.5 |
| ReboundsREB | 10.2 | 6.6 |
| AssistsAST | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| StealsSTL | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.9 | 0.4 |
| Threes3PM | 0.0 | 2.7 |
| Field goal %FG% | 64.5% | 46.5% |
| Free throw %FT% | 75.4% | 89.4% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.8 | 1.4 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 70 | 42 |
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 | Jalen Duren | Lauri Markkanen |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 49.4 | 41.2 |
| Points | 24.8 | 26.6 |
| Rebounds | 13.5 | 7.2 |
| Assists | 2.6 | 2.2 |
| Steals | 1.1 | 0.9 |
| Blocks | 1.1 | 0.5 |
| Threes | 0.0 | 2.9 |
| Turnovers | 2.3 | 1.6 |
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 | Jalen Duren | Lauri Markkanen |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | +0.4 | +1.4 |
| ReboundsREB | +2.1 | +0.4 |
| AssistsAST | -0.8 | -0.8 |
| StealsSTL | -0.5 | -0.5 |
| BlocksBLK | +0.4 | -0.5 |
| Threes3PM | -1.8 | +1.1 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | +3.1 | -0.6 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -0.8 | +1.9 |
| TurnoversTO | +0.2 | +0.5 |
| Total | +2.2 | +3.1 |
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 and free throw percentage flips the 9-cat answer to Jalen Duren.
| Punt | Jalen Duren | Lauri Markkanen |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | +1.7 (#22) | +1.4 (#27) |
| REB | -0.1 (#57) | +2.7 (#18) |
| AST | +3.0 (#14) | +3.6 (#11) |
| STL | +2.7 (#19) | +3.3 (#13) |
| BLK | +1.6 (#28) | +3.4 (#15) |
| 3PM | +3.9 (#8) | +1.6 (#31) |
| FG% | -1.6 (#109) | +3.9 (#11) |
| FT% | +3.0 (#15) | +0.9 (#38) |
| TO | +2.0 (#34) | +2.4 (#28) |
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 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1)
- Jalen Duren: 3 games (Tue @NYK, Wed CHA, Fri @BKN), 1 back-to-back, listed Out.
- Lauri Markkanen: 3 games (Mon MEM, Wed SAS, Sat POR), 1 back-to-back, listed DTD.
Recent games
- Jalen Duren: 30.0 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 37.2 on the board.
- Lauri Markkanen: 25.5 fantasy points a game over his last 4 of 2026-27, against 37.9 on the board.
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Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Jalen Duren playing tonight? · Is Lauri Markkanen playing tonight?
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Jalen Duren or Lauri Markkanen?
Points leagues: Lauri Markkanen. 37.9 fantasy points per game against 37.2, 37th on our board to 39th. 9-cat leagues: Lauri Markkanen again, +3.1 in summed z-scores against +2.2 (20th to 25th).
Who wins more categories, Jalen Duren or Lauri Markkanen?
Category by category, Jalen Duren is ahead in 3 (REB, BLK and FG%) and Lauri Markkanen in 4 (PTS, 3PM, FT% and TO).
Who should I start in Week 2, Jalen Duren or Lauri Markkanen?
Jalen Duren plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Lauri Markkanen 3. For that week alone, start Lauri Markkanen: 113.6 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Jalen Duren.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 27, 2026 at 8:32 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number