Jerami Grant vs Zach LaVine: who to start in Week 1
Jerami Grant plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Zach LaVine 3. For that week alone, start Jerami Grant: 82.8 projected fantasy points to 82.3 for Zach LaVine. Over the season, Jerami Grant leads in points leagues (27.6 fantasy points a game to 27.4) and Zach LaVine in 9-cat leagues (128th against 150th). 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 22, 1:54 PM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
Parlae may earn a commission from price links.
- Points leagues
- #109
- 27.6 FP/G, slot 10.01, $8
- 9-cat leagues
- #150
- -2.5 z, slot 13.06, $2
The pick in points leagues.
- Points leagues
- #111
- 27.4 FP/G, slot 10.03, $8
- 9-cat leagues
- #128
- -2.0 z, slot 11.08, $4
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Jerami Grant. 27.6 fantasy points per game against 27.4, 109th on our board to 111th.
9-cat leagues: Zach LaVine instead, -2.0 in summed z-scores against -2.5 (128th to 150th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Jerami Grant is ahead in 2 (REB and BLK) and Zach LaVine in 6 (PTS, AST, 3PM, FG%, FT% and TO).
Per 36 minutes, Jerami Grant produces more: 33.8 fantasy points to 31.3, on 29.4 minutes a night against 31.5. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Jerami Grant plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Zach LaVine 3. For that week alone, start Jerami Grant: 82.8 projected fantasy points to 82.3 for Zach LaVine.
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.
Advertisement
Per game, side by side
| Per game | Jerami Grant | Zach LaVine |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 27.6 | 27.4 |
| Minutes | 29.4 | 31.5 |
| PointsPTS | 18.4 | 19.7 |
| ReboundsREB | 3.4 | 2.8 |
| AssistsAST | 2.2 | 2.4 |
| StealsSTL | 0.7 | 0.7 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.7 | 0.2 |
| Threes3PM | 2.4 | 2.6 |
| Field goal %FG% | 45.3% | 48.3% |
| Free throw %FT% | 81.5% | 84.8% |
| TurnoversTO | 2.1 | 2.0 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 57 | 39 |
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 | Jerami Grant | Zach LaVine |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 33.8 | 31.3 |
| Points | 22.5 | 22.5 |
| Rebounds | 4.1 | 3.2 |
| Assists | 2.7 | 2.7 |
| Steals | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Blocks | 0.8 | 0.3 |
| Threes | 2.9 | 2.9 |
| Turnovers | 2.6 | 2.3 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
Advertisement
9-category z-scores
| Category | Jerami Grant | Zach LaVine |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | +0.3 | +0.6 |
| ReboundsREB | -1.1 | -1.3 |
| AssistsAST | -0.7 | -0.6 |
| StealsSTL | -0.9 | -1.0 |
| BlocksBLK | -0.0 | -0.9 |
| Threes3PM | +0.7 | +0.9 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.7 | -0.1 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.3 | +0.6 |
| TurnoversTO | -0.4 | -0.2 |
| Total | -2.5 | -2.0 |
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
No punt changes the answer: Zach LaVine stays ahead whichever category you give up.
| Punt | Jerami Grant | Zach LaVine |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -2.8 (#208) | -2.6 (#200) |
| REB | -1.5 (#115) | -0.7 (#76) |
| AST | -1.9 (#145) | -1.6 (#123) |
| STL | -1.7 (#126) | -1.2 (#98) |
| BLK | -2.6 (#153) | -1.1 (#93) |
| 3PM | -3.3 (#196) | -3.1 (#189) |
| FG% | -1.9 (#121) | -1.9 (#119) |
| FT% | -2.9 (#173) | -2.8 (#168) |
| TO | -2.2 (#114) | -1.9 (#106) |
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 391 ranked players.
Week 1 (Oct 19-25)
- Jerami Grant: 3 games (Wed UTA, Fri @GSW, Sun @SAC).
- Zach LaVine: 3 games (Wed @LAC, Fri POR, Sun MEM).
Recent games
- Jerami Grant: 21.9 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 27.6 on the board.
- Zach LaVine: 34.8 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 27.4 on the board.
Advertisement
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Jerami Grant playing tonight? · Is Zach LaVine playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Zach LaVine
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Jerami Grant or Zach LaVine?
Points leagues: Jerami Grant. 27.6 fantasy points per game against 27.4, 109th on our board to 111th. 9-cat leagues: Zach LaVine instead, -2.0 in summed z-scores against -2.5 (128th to 150th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Jerami Grant or Zach LaVine?
Category by category, Jerami Grant is ahead in 2 (REB and BLK) and Zach LaVine in 6 (PTS, AST, 3PM, FG%, FT% and TO).
Who should I start in Week 1, Jerami Grant or Zach LaVine?
Jerami Grant plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Zach LaVine 3. For that week alone, start Jerami Grant: 82.8 projected fantasy points to 82.3 for Zach LaVine.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 22, 2026 at 1:54 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number