Javon Small vs Keon Ellis: who to start in Week 3
Javon Small plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Keon Ellis 4. For that week alone, start Keon Ellis: 62.8 projected fantasy points to 61.0 for Javon Small. Over the season, Javon Small leads in both formats: 20.3 fantasy points a game to 15.7, and 210th against 211th 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
- #210
- 20.3 FP/G, slot 18.06
- 9-cat leagues
- #210
- -3.9 z, slot 18.06
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #280
- 15.7 FP/G, slot 24.04
- 9-cat leagues
- #211
- -3.9 z, slot 18.07
The call
Points leagues: Javon Small. 20.3 fantasy points per game against 15.7, 210th on our board to 280th.
9-cat leagues: Javon Small again, -3.9 in summed z-scores against -3.9 (210th to 211th).
Category by category, Javon Small is ahead in 6 (PTS, REB, AST, 3PM, FG% and FT%) and Keon Ellis in 3 (STL, BLK and TO).
Per 36 minutes, Javon Small produces more: 36.2 fantasy points to 26.1, on 20.2 minutes a night against 21.6. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Javon Small plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Keon Ellis 4. For that week alone, start Keon Ellis: 62.8 projected fantasy points to 61.0 for Javon Small.
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 | Javon Small | Keon Ellis |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 20.3 | 15.7 |
| Minutes | 20.2 | 21.6 |
| PointsPTS | 9.5 | 6.2 |
| ReboundsREB | 3.0 | 1.9 |
| AssistsAST | 3.8 | 1.4 |
| StealsSTL | 0.8 | 1.2 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.2 | 0.7 |
| Threes3PM | 1.5 | 1.2 |
| Field goal %FG% | 45.4% | 41.4% |
| Free throw %FT% | 80.9% | 72.9% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.3 | 0.6 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 41 | 72 |
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 | Javon Small | Keon Ellis |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 36.2 | 26.1 |
| Points | 16.9 | 10.3 |
| Rebounds | 5.3 | 3.1 |
| Assists | 6.7 | 2.3 |
| Steals | 1.4 | 2.0 |
| Blocks | 0.4 | 1.2 |
| Threes | 2.7 | 2.0 |
| Turnovers | 2.4 | 1.1 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
9-category z-scores
| Category | Javon Small | Keon Ellis |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -1.3 | -1.9 |
| ReboundsREB | -1.2 | -1.7 |
| AssistsAST | -0.0 | -1.2 |
| StealsSTL | -0.7 | +0.4 |
| BlocksBLK | -1.0 | +0.1 |
| Threes3PM | -0.2 | -0.5 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.3 | -0.6 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.0 | -0.2 |
| TurnoversTO | +0.8 | +1.6 |
| Total | -3.9 | -3.9 |
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, rebounds, assists, threes, field goal percentage and free throw percentage flips the 9-cat answer to Keon Ellis.
| Punt | Javon Small | Keon Ellis |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -2.6 (#201) | -2.1 (#172) |
| REB | -2.8 (#181) | -2.3 (#157) |
| AST | -4.0 (#243) | -2.8 (#191) |
| STL | -3.2 (#199) | -4.4 (#273) |
| BLK | -3.1 (#176) | -4.2 (#234) |
| 3PM | -3.6 (#224) | -3.3 (#203) |
| FG% | -3.8 (#198) | -3.5 (#188) |
| FT% | -3.9 (#218) | -3.7 (#211) |
| TO | -4.8 (#208) | -5.7 (#237) |
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)
- Javon Small: 3 games (Mon NOP, Wed IND, Fri OKC).
- Keon Ellis: 4 games (Mon @NYK, Wed CHA, Sat @ATL, Sun @DAL), 2 back-to-backs.
Recent games
- Javon Small: 14.7 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 20.3 on the board.
- Keon Ellis: 17.1 fantasy points a game over his last 7 of 2026-27, against 15.7 on the board.
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Javon Small playing tonight? · Is Keon Ellis playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Javon Small
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Javon Small or Keon Ellis?
Points leagues: Javon Small. 20.3 fantasy points per game against 15.7, 210th on our board to 280th. 9-cat leagues: Javon Small again, -3.9 in summed z-scores against -3.9 (210th to 211th).
Who wins more categories, Javon Small or Keon Ellis?
Category by category, Javon Small is ahead in 6 (PTS, REB, AST, 3PM, FG% and FT%) and Keon Ellis in 3 (STL, BLK and TO).
Who should I start in Week 3, Javon Small or Keon Ellis?
Javon Small plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Keon Ellis 4. For that week alone, start Keon Ellis: 62.8 projected fantasy points to 61.0 for Javon Small.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Nov 3, 2026 at 12:36 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number