Jalen Williams vs Nickeil Alexander-Walker: who to start in Week 3
Jalen Williams plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Nickeil Alexander-Walker 4. For that week alone, start Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 130.4 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Jalen Williams. Over the season, Nickeil Alexander-Walker leads in both formats: 32.6 fantasy points a game to 32.5, and 35th against 85th 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, 12:36 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #71
- 32.5 FP/G, slot 6.11, $14
- 9-cat leagues
- #85
- -0.8 z, slot 8.01, $11
Out (Ankle)
- Points leagues
- #70
- 32.6 FP/G, slot 6.10, $14
- 9-cat leagues
- #35
- +1.2 z, slot 3.11, $22
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Nickeil Alexander-Walker. 32.6 fantasy points per game against 32.5, 70th on our board to 71st.
9-cat leagues: Nickeil Alexander-Walker again, +1.2 in summed z-scores against -0.8 (35th to 85th).
Category by category, Jalen Williams is ahead in 4 (REB, AST, FG% and TO) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in 5 (PTS, STL, BLK, 3PM and FT%).
Per 36 minutes, Jalen Williams produces more: 40.5 fantasy points to 36.3, on 28.9 minutes a night against 32.3. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Jalen Williams plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Nickeil Alexander-Walker 4. For that week alone, start Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 130.4 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Jalen Williams.
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 Williams | Nickeil Alexander-Walker |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 32.5 | 32.6 |
| Minutes | 28.9 | 32.3 |
| PointsPTS | 16.5 | 20.3 |
| ReboundsREB | 4.6 | 3.3 |
| AssistsAST | 5.1 | 3.3 |
| StealsSTL | 1.2 | 1.3 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.3 | 0.5 |
| Threes3PM | 0.7 | 3.2 |
| Field goal %FG% | 46.8% | 44.9% |
| Free throw %FT% | 83.2% | 86.9% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.8 | 2.0 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 33 | 78 |
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 Williams | Nickeil Alexander-Walker |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 40.5 | 36.3 |
| Points | 20.5 | 22.6 |
| Rebounds | 5.7 | 3.7 |
| Assists | 6.4 | 3.7 |
| Steals | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| Blocks | 0.4 | 0.5 |
| Threes | 0.9 | 3.6 |
| Turnovers | 2.3 | 2.2 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
9-category z-scores
| Category | Jalen Williams | Nickeil Alexander-Walker |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -0.0 | +0.7 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.5 | -1.1 |
| AssistsAST | +0.7 | -0.2 |
| StealsSTL | +0.4 | +0.6 |
| BlocksBLK | -0.7 | -0.5 |
| Threes3PM | -1.0 | +1.6 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.3 | -0.8 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.4 | +0.9 |
| TurnoversTO | +0.2 | -0.1 |
| Total | -0.8 | +1.2 |
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 threes flips the 9-cat answer to Jalen Williams.
| Punt | Jalen Williams | Nickeil Alexander-Walker |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -0.9 (#100) | +0.4 (#47) |
| REB | -0.4 (#80) | +2.3 (#20) |
| AST | -1.7 (#134) | +1.2 (#31) |
| STL | -1.3 (#108) | +0.5 (#45) |
| BLK | -0.3 (#74) | +1.6 (#28) |
| 3PM | +0.0 (#58) | -0.6 (#74) |
| FG% | -0.8 (#84) | +2.1 (#28) |
| FT% | -1.3 (#106) | +0.1 (#53) |
| TO | -1.1 (#89) | +1.2 (#42) |
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 432 ranked players.
Week 3 (Nov 2-8)
- Jalen Williams: 4 games (Mon @CLE, Wed CLE, Fri @MEM, Sat WAS), 1 back-to-back, listed Out.
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 4 games (Mon @IND, Wed @WAS, Fri WAS, Sat BKN), 1 back-to-back.
Jalen Williams or Nickeil Alexander-Walker: the Week 3 start/sit call
Recent games
- Jalen Williams: 27.9 fantasy points a game over his last 3 of 2026-27, against 32.5 on the board.
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 32.6 fantasy points a game over his last 8 of 2026-27, against 32.6 on the board.
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Jalen Williams playing tonight? · Is Nickeil Alexander-Walker playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Jalen Williams, Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Jalen Williams or Nickeil Alexander-Walker?
Points leagues: Nickeil Alexander-Walker. 32.6 fantasy points per game against 32.5, 70th on our board to 71st. 9-cat leagues: Nickeil Alexander-Walker again, +1.2 in summed z-scores against -0.8 (35th to 85th).
Who wins more categories, Jalen Williams or Nickeil Alexander-Walker?
Category by category, Jalen Williams is ahead in 4 (REB, AST, FG% and TO) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in 5 (PTS, STL, BLK, 3PM and FT%).
Who should I start in Week 3, Jalen Williams or Nickeil Alexander-Walker?
Jalen Williams plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Nickeil Alexander-Walker 4. For that week alone, start Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 130.4 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Jalen Williams.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Nov 3, 2026 at 12:36 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number