Jaxson Hayes vs Jaylen Wells: who to start in Week 2
Jaxson Hayes plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Jaylen Wells 3. For that week alone, start Jaylen Wells: 66.3 projected fantasy points to 57.0 for Jaxson Hayes. Over the season, Jaylen Wells leads in points leagues (22.1 fantasy points a game to 19.0) and Jaxson Hayes in 9-cat leagues (178th against 180th). 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 26, 8:30 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #221
- 19.0 FP/G, slot 19.05
- 9-cat leagues
- #178
- -3.1 z, slot 15.10
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #165
- 22.1 FP/G, slot 14.09
- 9-cat leagues
- #180
- -3.1 z, slot 15.12
The pick in points leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Jaylen Wells. 22.1 fantasy points per game against 19.0, 165th on our board to 221st.
9-cat leagues: Jaxson Hayes instead, -3.1 in summed z-scores against -3.1 (178th to 180th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Jaxson Hayes is ahead in 4 (REB, BLK, FG% and TO) and Jaylen Wells in 5 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM and FT%).
Per 36 minutes, Jaxson Hayes produces more: 35.7 fantasy points to 29.8, on 19.2 minutes a night against 26.7. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Jaxson Hayes plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Jaylen Wells 3. For that week alone, start Jaylen Wells: 66.3 projected fantasy points to 57.0 for Jaxson Hayes.
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 | Jaxson Hayes | Jaylen Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 19.0 | 22.1 |
| Minutes | 19.2 | 26.7 |
| PointsPTS | 8.0 | 12.9 |
| ReboundsREB | 4.3 | 3.4 |
| AssistsAST | 1.1 | 1.7 |
| StealsSTL | 0.5 | 1.1 |
| BlocksBLK | 1.0 | 0.1 |
| Threes3PM | 0.0 | 1.9 |
| Field goal %FG% | 76.8% | 45.8% |
| Free throw %FT% | 63.3% | 74.5% |
| TurnoversTO | 0.4 | 1.0 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 66 | 69 |
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 | Jaxson Hayes | Jaylen Wells |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 35.7 | 29.8 |
| Points | 15.0 | 17.4 |
| Rebounds | 8.0 | 4.6 |
| Assists | 2.0 | 2.3 |
| Steals | 1.0 | 1.4 |
| Blocks | 2.0 | 0.1 |
| Threes | 0.1 | 2.6 |
| Turnovers | 0.8 | 1.4 |
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 | Jaxson Hayes | Jaylen Wells |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -1.5 | -0.6 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.6 | -1.0 |
| AssistsAST | -1.3 | -1.0 |
| StealsSTL | -1.3 | +0.1 |
| BlocksBLK | +0.8 | -1.2 |
| Threes3PM | -1.7 | +0.3 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | +2.0 | -0.4 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -1.2 | -0.4 |
| TurnoversTO | +1.8 | +1.1 |
| Total | -3.1 | -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 rebounds, blocks, field goal percentage and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to Jaylen Wells.
| Punt | Jaxson Hayes | Jaylen Wells |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -1.7 (#151) | -2.6 (#198) |
| REB | -2.8 (#179) | -2.3 (#155) |
| AST | -1.8 (#141) | -2.3 (#169) |
| STL | -1.9 (#138) | -3.4 (#201) |
| BLK | -4.2 (#233) | -2.2 (#143) |
| 3PM | -1.4 (#108) | -3.5 (#212) |
| FG% | -5.8 (#288) | -3.0 (#160) |
| FT% | -1.8 (#131) | -2.8 (#168) |
| TO | -5.0 (#210) | -4.3 (#187) |
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)
- Jaxson Hayes: 3 games (Mon MEM, Wed SAS, Sat POR), 1 back-to-back.
- Jaylen Wells: 3 games (Mon @UTA, Thu @POR, Sat SAC), 1 back-to-back.
Recent games
- Jaxson Hayes: 29.0 fantasy points a game over his last 3 of 2026-27, against 19.0 on the board.
- Jaylen Wells: 28.9 fantasy points a game over his last 3 of 2026-27, against 22.1 on the board.
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Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Jaxson Hayes playing tonight? · Is Jaylen Wells playing tonight?
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Jaxson Hayes or Jaylen Wells?
Points leagues: Jaylen Wells. 22.1 fantasy points per game against 19.0, 165th on our board to 221st. 9-cat leagues: Jaxson Hayes instead, -3.1 in summed z-scores against -3.1 (178th to 180th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Jaxson Hayes or Jaylen Wells?
Category by category, Jaxson Hayes is ahead in 4 (REB, BLK, FG% and TO) and Jaylen Wells in 5 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM and FT%).
Who should I start in Week 2, Jaxson Hayes or Jaylen Wells?
Jaxson Hayes plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Jaylen Wells 3. For that week alone, start Jaylen Wells: 66.3 projected fantasy points to 57.0 for Jaxson Hayes.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 26, 2026 at 8:30 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number