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Keegan Murray vs Paolo Banchero: who to start in Week 3

Keegan Murray plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Paolo Banchero 3, an even 0.0 projected fantasy points each. Over the season, Paolo Banchero leads in both formats: 41.0 fantasy points a game to 28.1, and 106th against 107th 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.

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Keegan Murray
PFSFSACage 26OUT
Points leagues
#113
28.1 FP/G, slot 10.05, $7
9-cat leagues
#107
-1.4 z, slot 9.11, $7

Out (Ankle)

Paolo Banchero
PFORLage 23OUT
Points leagues
#22
41.0 FP/G, slot 2.10, $28
9-cat leagues
#106
-1.4 z, slot 9.10, $7

Out (Ankle)

The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.

The call

Points leagues: Paolo Banchero. 41.0 fantasy points per game against 28.1, 22nd on our board to 113th.

9-cat leagues: Paolo Banchero again, -1.4 in summed z-scores against -1.4 (106th to 107th).

Category by category, Keegan Murray is ahead in 4 (STL, BLK, FT% and TO) and Paolo Banchero in 4 (PTS, REB, AST and FG%).

Per 36 minutes, Paolo Banchero produces more: 42.5 fantasy points to 30.1, on 34.7 minutes a night against 33.6. He already plays as much or more, so the gap is not a role waiting to grow.

Keegan Murray plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Paolo Banchero 3, an even 0.0 projected fantasy points each.

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 gameKeegan MurrayPaolo Banchero
Fantasy points per game28.141.0
Minutes33.634.7
PointsPTS13.122.5
ReboundsREB5.48.2
AssistsAST1.55.5
StealsSTL1.00.7
BlocksBLK1.40.5
Threes3PM1.21.2
Field goal %FG%41.0%48.0%
Free throw %FT%80.0%76.4%
TurnoversTO1.13.2
Games, 2025-262372

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 36Keegan MurrayPaolo Banchero
Fantasy points30.142.5
Points14.123.3
Rebounds5.88.5
Assists1.65.7
Steals1.10.8
Blocks1.50.5
Threes1.31.3
Turnovers1.23.3

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

CategoryKeegan MurrayPaolo Banchero
PointsPTS-0.6+1.1
ReboundsREB-0.2+1.0
AssistsAST-1.1+0.8
StealsSTL-0.1-0.8
BlocksBLK+1.4-0.4
Threes3PM-0.5-0.5
Field goal percentageFG%-1.4-0.0
Free throw percentageFT%-0.0-1.0
TurnoversTO+1.1-1.5
Total-1.4-1.4

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 and field goal percentage flips the 9-cat answer to Keegan Murray.

PuntKeegan MurrayPaolo Banchero
PTS-0.8 (#98)-2.5 (#194)
REB-1.4 (#108)-2.6 (#172)
AST-0.4 (#68)-2.4 (#164)
STL-1.4 (#114)-0.6 (#77)
BLK-3.1 (#175)-1.2 (#105)
3PM-0.9 (#88)-0.9 (#86)
FG%-0.2 (#63)-2.0 (#126)
FT%-1.4 (#116)-0.5 (#74)
TO-2.6 (#130)+0.2 (#60)

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)

  • Keegan Murray: 4 games (Mon @DAL, Wed LAL, Fri SAS, Sun MIA), listed Out.
  • Paolo Banchero: 3 games (Mon WAS, Thu @PHX, Sat @GSW), 1 back-to-back, listed Out.

Every team's games this week · Week 3 streamers

Recent games

  • Keegan Murray: 13.8 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 28.1 on the board.
  • Paolo Banchero: 42.5 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 41.0 on the board.

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Other picks at the same spot

NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers

Is Keegan Murray playing tonight? · Is Paolo Banchero playing tonight?

Rookie cards: Paolo Banchero

Common questions

  • Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Keegan Murray or Paolo Banchero?

    Points leagues: Paolo Banchero. 41.0 fantasy points per game against 28.1, 22nd on our board to 113th. 9-cat leagues: Paolo Banchero again, -1.4 in summed z-scores against -1.4 (106th to 107th).

  • Who wins more categories, Keegan Murray or Paolo Banchero?

    Category by category, Keegan Murray is ahead in 4 (STL, BLK, FT% and TO) and Paolo Banchero in 4 (PTS, REB, AST and FG%).

  • Who should I start in Week 3, Keegan Murray or Paolo Banchero?

    Keegan Murray plays 4 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Paolo Banchero 3, an even 0.0 projected fantasy points each.

By the Parlae deskBoard updated Nov 3, 2026 at 12:36 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number