Jusuf Nurkić vs Nickeil Alexander-Walker: who to start in Week 2
Jusuf Nurkić plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Nickeil Alexander-Walker 4. For that week alone, start Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 134.5 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Jusuf Nurkić. Over the season, Nickeil Alexander-Walker leads in both formats: 33.6 fantasy points a game to 33.5, and 30th against 118th 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 Oct 27, 6:32 PM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #56
- 33.5 FP/G, slot 5.08, $17
- 9-cat leagues
- #118
- -1.7 z, slot 10.10, $6
Out (Foot)
- Points leagues
- #55
- 33.6 FP/G, slot 5.07, $17
- 9-cat leagues
- #30
- +1.7 z, slot 3.06, $25
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Nickeil Alexander-Walker. 33.6 fantasy points per game against 33.5, 55th on our board to 56th.
9-cat leagues: Nickeil Alexander-Walker again, +1.7 in summed z-scores against -1.7 (30th to 118th).
Category by category, Jusuf Nurkić is ahead in 4 (REB, AST, BLK and FG%) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in 5 (PTS, STL, 3PM, FT% and TO).
Per 36 minutes, Jusuf Nurkić produces more: 45.6 fantasy points to 37.2, on 26.4 minutes a night against 32.6. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Jusuf Nurkić plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Nickeil Alexander-Walker 4. For that week alone, start Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 134.5 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Jusuf Nurkić.
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 | Jusuf Nurkić | Nickeil Alexander-Walker |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 33.5 | 33.6 |
| Minutes | 26.4 | 32.6 |
| PointsPTS | 10.9 | 20.4 |
| ReboundsREB | 10.4 | 3.4 |
| AssistsAST | 4.8 | 3.7 |
| StealsSTL | 1.3 | 1.4 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Threes3PM | 0.6 | 3.2 |
| Field goal %FG% | 50.3% | 45.6% |
| Free throw %FT% | 54.9% | 84.7% |
| TurnoversTO | 2.5 | 2.1 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 41 | 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 | Jusuf Nurkić | Nickeil Alexander-Walker |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 45.6 | 37.2 |
| Points | 14.9 | 22.5 |
| Rebounds | 14.1 | 3.8 |
| Assists | 6.5 | 4.1 |
| Steals | 1.7 | 1.5 |
| Blocks | 0.7 | 0.5 |
| Threes | 0.8 | 3.6 |
| Turnovers | 3.4 | 2.3 |
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 | Jusuf Nurkić | Nickeil Alexander-Walker |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -1.0 | +0.7 |
| ReboundsREB | +2.2 | -1.0 |
| AssistsAST | +0.6 | +0.0 |
| StealsSTL | +0.6 | +1.0 |
| BlocksBLK | -0.3 | -0.4 |
| Threes3PM | -1.1 | +1.7 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | +0.3 | -0.7 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -2.3 | +0.7 |
| TurnoversTO | -0.7 | -0.2 |
| Total | -1.7 | +1.7 |
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: Nickeil Alexander-Walker stays ahead whichever category you give up.
| Punt | Jusuf Nurkić | Nickeil Alexander-Walker |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -0.7 (#83) | +0.8 (#40) |
| REB | -4.2 (#251) | +2.8 (#17) |
| AST | -2.2 (#164) | +1.4 (#30) |
| STL | -2.2 (#151) | +0.5 (#43) |
| BLK | -1.6 (#119) | +2.1 (#24) |
| 3PM | -0.4 (#78) | -0.2 (#64) |
| FG% | -2.7 (#149) | +2.6 (#24) |
| FT% | +0.6 (#44) | +0.8 (#39) |
| TO | -1.0 (#82) | +1.9 (#35) |
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)
- Jusuf Nurkić: 3 games (Mon MEM, Wed SAS, Sat POR), 1 back-to-back, listed Out.
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 4 games (Mon @HOU, Wed MIA, Thu CLE, Sat @NOP), 1 back-to-back.
Recent games
- Jusuf Nurkić: 39.8 fantasy points a game over his last 10 of 2025-26, against 33.5 on the board.
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 32.6 fantasy points a game over his last 4 of 2026-27, against 33.6 on the board.
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Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Jusuf Nurkić playing tonight? · Is Nickeil Alexander-Walker playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Jusuf Nurkić, Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Jusuf Nurkić or Nickeil Alexander-Walker?
Points leagues: Nickeil Alexander-Walker. 33.6 fantasy points per game against 33.5, 55th on our board to 56th. 9-cat leagues: Nickeil Alexander-Walker again, +1.7 in summed z-scores against -1.7 (30th to 118th).
Who wins more categories, Jusuf Nurkić or Nickeil Alexander-Walker?
Category by category, Jusuf Nurkić is ahead in 4 (REB, AST, BLK and FG%) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in 5 (PTS, STL, 3PM, FT% and TO).
Who should I start in Week 2, Jusuf Nurkić or Nickeil Alexander-Walker?
Jusuf Nurkić plays 3 games in Week 2 (Oct 26-Nov 1), Nickeil Alexander-Walker 4. For that week alone, start Nickeil Alexander-Walker: 134.5 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Jusuf Nurkić.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 27, 2026 at 6:32 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number