Kristaps Porziņģis vs Zion Williamson: who to start in Week 1
Kristaps Porziņģis plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Zion Williamson 3. For that week alone, start Zion Williamson: 106.3 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Kristaps Porziņģis. Over the season, Zion Williamson leads in points leagues (35.4 fantasy points a game to 30.7) and Kristaps Porziņģis in 9-cat leagues (65th against 66th). 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 24, 8:26 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
Parlae may earn a commission from price links.
- Points leagues
- #78
- 30.7 FP/G, slot 7.06, $13
- 9-cat leagues
- #65
- -0.2 z, slot 6.05, $14
Out (Undisclosed)
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #46
- 35.4 FP/G, slot 4.10, $20
- 9-cat leagues
- #66
- -0.2 z, slot 6.06, $14
The pick in points leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Zion Williamson. 35.4 fantasy points per game against 30.7, 46th on our board to 78th.
9-cat leagues: Kristaps Porziņģis instead, -0.2 in summed z-scores against -0.2 (65th to 66th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Kristaps Porziņģis is ahead in 4 (BLK, 3PM, FT% and TO) and Zion Williamson in 5 (PTS, REB, AST, STL and FG%).
Per 36 minutes, Kristaps Porziņģis produces more: 46.0 fantasy points to 42.5, on 24.0 minutes a night against 30.0. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Kristaps Porziņģis plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Zion Williamson 3. For that week alone, start Zion Williamson: 106.3 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Kristaps Porziņģis.
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 | Kristaps Porziņģis | Zion Williamson |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 30.7 | 35.4 |
| Minutes | 24.0 | 30.0 |
| PointsPTS | 16.7 | 21.2 |
| ReboundsREB | 5.2 | 5.5 |
| AssistsAST | 2.5 | 3.1 |
| StealsSTL | 0.6 | 1.2 |
| BlocksBLK | 1.2 | 0.5 |
| Threes3PM | 1.7 | 0.1 |
| Field goal %FG% | 44.6% | 59.2% |
| Free throw %FT% | 84.2% | 74.0% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.3 | 2.1 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 32 | 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 | Kristaps Porziņģis | Zion Williamson |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 46.0 | 42.5 |
| Points | 25.0 | 25.4 |
| Rebounds | 7.8 | 6.6 |
| Assists | 3.8 | 3.7 |
| Steals | 0.8 | 1.4 |
| Blocks | 1.8 | 0.6 |
| Threes | 2.5 | 0.2 |
| Turnovers | 1.9 | 2.5 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
Advertisement
9-category z-scores
| Category | Kristaps Porziņģis | Zion Williamson |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | +0.1 | +0.9 |
| ReboundsREB | -0.2 | -0.1 |
| AssistsAST | -0.5 | -0.2 |
| StealsSTL | -1.2 | +0.5 |
| BlocksBLK | +1.0 | -0.4 |
| Threes3PM | +0.1 | -1.5 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.8 | +2.3 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.7 | -1.3 |
| TurnoversTO | +0.7 | -0.3 |
| Total | -0.2 | -0.2 |
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 blocks, threes, free throw percentage and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to Zion Williamson.
| Punt | Kristaps Porziņģis | Zion Williamson |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -0.3 (#69) | -1.2 (#119) |
| REB | -0.1 (#55) | -0.5 (#78) |
| AST | +0.3 (#46) | -0.2 (#60) |
| STL | +0.9 (#36) | -0.9 (#89) |
| BLK | -1.5 (#106) | -0.1 (#62) |
| 3PM | -0.3 (#70) | +1.2 (#36) |
| FG% | +0.5 (#51) | -3.6 (#184) |
| FT% | -1.0 (#94) | +1.0 (#38) |
| TO | -1.0 (#80) | -0.0 (#62) |
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 1 (Oct 19-25)
- Kristaps Porziņģis: 3 games (Wed @LAL, Fri MEM, Sat @PHX), 1 back-to-back, listed Out.
- Zion Williamson: 3 games (Wed IND, Fri @UTA, Sat @DEN), 1 back-to-back.
Recent games
- Kristaps Porziņģis: 27.5 fantasy points a game over his last 10 of 2025-26, against 30.7 on the board.
- Zion Williamson: 37.5 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 35.4 on the board.
Advertisement
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Kristaps Porziņģis playing tonight? · Is Zion Williamson playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Zion Williamson
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Kristaps Porziņģis or Zion Williamson?
Points leagues: Zion Williamson. 35.4 fantasy points per game against 30.7, 46th on our board to 78th. 9-cat leagues: Kristaps Porziņģis instead, -0.2 in summed z-scores against -0.2 (65th to 66th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Kristaps Porziņģis or Zion Williamson?
Category by category, Kristaps Porziņģis is ahead in 4 (BLK, 3PM, FT% and TO) and Zion Williamson in 5 (PTS, REB, AST, STL and FG%).
Who should I start in Week 1, Kristaps Porziņģis or Zion Williamson?
Kristaps Porziņģis plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Zion Williamson 3. For that week alone, start Zion Williamson: 106.3 projected fantasy points to 0.0 for Kristaps Porziņģis.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 24, 2026 at 8:26 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number