Kevin Huerter vs Malik Monk: who to start in Week 1
Kevin Huerter plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Malik Monk 3. For that week alone, start Malik Monk: 62.0 projected fantasy points to 61.5 for Kevin Huerter. Over the season, Malik Monk leads in points leagues (20.7 fantasy points a game to 20.5) and Kevin Huerter in 9-cat leagues (188th against 218th). 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, 3:54 PM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
Parlae may earn a commission from price links.
- Points leagues
- #200
- 20.5 FP/G, slot 17.08
- 9-cat leagues
- #188
- -3.5 z, slot 16.08
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #199
- 20.7 FP/G, slot 17.07
- 9-cat leagues
- #218
- -4.1 z, slot 19.02
Day to day (Ankle)
The pick in points leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Malik Monk. 20.7 fantasy points per game against 20.5, 199th on our board to 200th.
9-cat leagues: Kevin Huerter instead, -3.5 in summed z-scores against -4.1 (188th to 218th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Kevin Huerter is ahead in 5 (REB, STL, BLK, FG% and TO) and Malik Monk in 4 (PTS, AST, 3PM and FT%).
Per 36 minutes, Malik Monk produces more: 33.8 fantasy points to 33.3, on 22.0 minutes a night against 22.2. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Kevin Huerter plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Malik Monk 3. For that week alone, start Malik Monk: 62.0 projected fantasy points to 61.5 for Kevin Huerter.
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 | Kevin Huerter | Malik Monk |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 20.5 | 20.7 |
| Minutes | 22.2 | 22.0 |
| PointsPTS | 9.6 | 12.5 |
| ReboundsREB | 3.4 | 1.9 |
| AssistsAST | 2.5 | 3.0 |
| StealsSTL | 0.9 | 0.6 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| Threes3PM | 1.4 | 2.0 |
| Field goal %FG% | 44.5% | 43.8% |
| Free throw %FT% | 77.5% | 87.9% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.0 | 1.5 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 69 | 62 |
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 | Kevin Huerter | Malik Monk |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 33.3 | 33.8 |
| Points | 15.6 | 20.4 |
| Rebounds | 5.6 | 3.1 |
| Assists | 4.1 | 4.9 |
| Steals | 1.4 | 1.0 |
| Blocks | 0.7 | 0.6 |
| Threes | 2.3 | 3.3 |
| Turnovers | 1.6 | 2.4 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
Advertisement
9-category z-scores
| Category | Kevin Huerter | Malik Monk |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -1.2 | -0.7 |
| ReboundsREB | -1.1 | -1.8 |
| AssistsAST | -0.6 | -0.3 |
| StealsSTL | -0.5 | -1.2 |
| BlocksBLK | -0.5 | -0.6 |
| Threes3PM | -0.2 | +0.4 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.6 | -0.8 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -0.1 | +0.4 |
| TurnoversTO | +1.1 | +0.5 |
| Total | -3.5 | -4.1 |
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, steals and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to Malik Monk.
| Punt | Kevin Huerter | Malik Monk |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -2.3 (#185) | -3.4 (#245) |
| REB | -2.5 (#168) | -2.4 (#152) |
| AST | -3.0 (#200) | -3.9 (#238) |
| STL | -3.1 (#191) | -3.0 (#188) |
| BLK | -3.2 (#181) | -3.6 (#203) |
| 3PM | -3.3 (#199) | -4.5 (#254) |
| FG% | -3.1 (#161) | -3.3 (#173) |
| FT% | -3.4 (#191) | -4.6 (#249) |
| TO | -4.7 (#203) | -4.7 (#202) |
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)
- Kevin Huerter: 3 games (Tue BOS, Fri @MIA, Sun @PHI).
- Malik Monk: 3 games (Wed @LAC, Fri POR, Sun MEM), listed DTD.
Recent games
- Kevin Huerter: 9.6 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 20.5 on the board.
- Malik Monk: 21.1 fantasy points a game over his last 10 of 2025-26, against 20.7 on the board.
Advertisement
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Kevin Huerter playing tonight? · Is Malik Monk playing tonight?
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Kevin Huerter or Malik Monk?
Points leagues: Malik Monk. 20.7 fantasy points per game against 20.5, 199th on our board to 200th. 9-cat leagues: Kevin Huerter instead, -3.5 in summed z-scores against -4.1 (188th to 218th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Kevin Huerter or Malik Monk?
Category by category, Kevin Huerter is ahead in 5 (REB, STL, BLK, FG% and TO) and Malik Monk in 4 (PTS, AST, 3PM and FT%).
Who should I start in Week 1, Kevin Huerter or Malik Monk?
Kevin Huerter plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Malik Monk 3. For that week alone, start Malik Monk: 62.0 projected fantasy points to 61.5 for Kevin Huerter.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 22, 2026 at 3:54 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number