Jalen Smith vs Nikola Vučević: who to start in Week 3
Jalen Smith plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Nikola Vučević 3. For that week alone, start Nikola Vučević: 76.5 projected fantasy points to 73.8 for Jalen Smith. Over the season, Nikola Vučević leads in both formats: 25.5 fantasy points a game to 24.6, and 141st against 142nd 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 Nov 3, 2:36 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #151
- 24.6 FP/G, slot 13.07, $2
- 9-cat leagues
- #142
- -2.2 z, slot 12.10, $3
- Points leagues
- #142
- 25.5 FP/G, slot 12.10, $4
- 9-cat leagues
- #141
- -2.1 z, slot 12.09, $3
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Nikola Vučević. 25.5 fantasy points per game against 24.6, 142nd on our board to 151st.
9-cat leagues: Nikola Vučević again, -2.1 in summed z-scores against -2.2 (141st to 142nd).
Category by category, Jalen Smith is ahead in 5 (REB, STL, BLK, 3PM and TO) and Nikola Vučević in 4 (PTS, AST, FG% and FT%).
Per 36 minutes, Nikola Vučević produces more: 41.0 fantasy points to 40.4, on 22.4 minutes a night against 21.9. He already plays as much or more, so the gap is not a role waiting to grow.
Jalen Smith plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Nikola Vučević 3. For that week alone, start Nikola Vučević: 76.5 projected fantasy points to 73.8 for Jalen Smith.
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 | Jalen Smith | Nikola Vučević |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 24.6 | 25.5 |
| Minutes | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| PointsPTS | 10.8 | 11.3 |
| ReboundsREB | 7.3 | 6.7 |
| AssistsAST | 1.5 | 2.7 |
| StealsSTL | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.8 | 0.7 |
| Threes3PM | 1.5 | 1.2 |
| Field goal %FG% | 48.1% | 48.7% |
| Free throw %FT% | 74.4% | 80.0% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 53 | 64 |
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 Smith | Nikola Vučević |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 40.4 | 41.0 |
| Points | 17.8 | 18.1 |
| Rebounds | 12.0 | 10.7 |
| Assists | 2.4 | 4.3 |
| Steals | 0.7 | 0.7 |
| Blocks | 1.3 | 1.1 |
| Threes | 2.5 | 1.9 |
| Turnovers | 1.6 | 1.7 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
9-category z-scores
| Category | Jalen Smith | Nikola Vučević |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -1.1 | -1.0 |
| ReboundsREB | +0.6 | +0.4 |
| AssistsAST | -1.2 | -0.6 |
| StealsSTL | -1.6 | -1.7 |
| BlocksBLK | +0.3 | -0.0 |
| Threes3PM | -0.2 | -0.5 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | +0.0 | +0.1 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -0.3 | 0.0 |
| TurnoversTO | +1.3 | +1.2 |
| Total | -2.2 | -2.1 |
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, assists, field goal percentage and free throw percentage flips the 9-cat answer to Jalen Smith.
| Punt | Jalen Smith | Nikola Vučević |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -1.1 (#117) | -1.2 (#121) |
| REB | -3.0 (#192) | -2.6 (#172) |
| AST | -1.0 (#95) | -1.6 (#128) |
| STL | -0.6 (#81) | -0.5 (#74) |
| BLK | -2.7 (#158) | -2.4 (#148) |
| 3PM | -1.9 (#141) | -1.6 (#124) |
| FG% | -2.4 (#138) | -2.4 (#139) |
| FT% | -1.8 (#131) | -2.1 (#150) |
| TO | -3.6 (#161) | -3.4 (#155) |
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 438 ranked players.
Week 3 (Nov 2-8)
- Jalen Smith: 3 games (Mon @PHI, Wed @NYK, Sun PHI).
- Nikola Vučević: 3 games (Mon WAS, Thu @PHX, Sat @GSW), 1 back-to-back.
Recent games
- Jalen Smith: 28.4 fantasy points a game over his last 7 of 2026-27, against 24.6 on the board.
- Nikola Vučević: 10.4 fantasy points a game over his last 7 of 2026-27, against 25.5 on the board.
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Jalen Smith playing tonight? · Is Nikola Vučević playing tonight?
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Jalen Smith or Nikola Vučević?
Points leagues: Nikola Vučević. 25.5 fantasy points per game against 24.6, 142nd on our board to 151st. 9-cat leagues: Nikola Vučević again, -2.1 in summed z-scores against -2.2 (141st to 142nd).
Who wins more categories, Jalen Smith or Nikola Vučević?
Category by category, Jalen Smith is ahead in 5 (REB, STL, BLK, 3PM and TO) and Nikola Vučević in 4 (PTS, AST, FG% and FT%).
Who should I start in Week 3, Jalen Smith or Nikola Vučević?
Jalen Smith plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Nikola Vučević 3. For that week alone, start Nikola Vučević: 76.5 projected fantasy points to 73.8 for Jalen Smith.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Nov 3, 2026 at 2:36 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number