Matas Buzelis vs Nikola Vučević: who to start in Week 1
Matas Buzelis plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Nikola Vučević 3, an even 92.1 projected fantasy points each. Over the season, Nikola Vučević leads in both formats: 30.7 fantasy points a game to 30.7, and 62nd against 76th 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 22, 8:57 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
Parlae may earn a commission from price links.
- Points leagues
- #79
- 30.7 FP/G, slot 7.07, $12
- 9-cat leagues
- #76
- -0.7 z, slot 7.04, $12
- Points leagues
- #78
- 30.7 FP/G, slot 7.06, $12
- 9-cat leagues
- #62
- -0.2 z, slot 6.02, $14
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Nikola Vučević. 30.7 fantasy points per game against 30.7, 78th on our board to 79th.
9-cat leagues: Nikola Vučević again, -0.2 in summed z-scores against -0.7 (62nd to 76th).
Category by category, Matas Buzelis is ahead in 4 (PTS, STL, BLK and 3PM) and Nikola Vučević in 5 (REB, AST, FG%, FT% and TO).
Per 36 minutes, Nikola Vučević produces more: 41.0 fantasy points to 38.2, on 26.9 minutes a night against 28.9. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Matas Buzelis plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Nikola Vučević 3, an even 92.1 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.
Advertisement
Per game, side by side
| Per game | Matas Buzelis | Nikola Vučević |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 30.7 | 30.7 |
| Minutes | 28.9 | 26.9 |
| PointsPTS | 16.3 | 14.1 |
| ReboundsREB | 5.8 | 7.9 |
| AssistsAST | 1.9 | 3.2 |
| StealsSTL | 0.7 | 0.6 |
| BlocksBLK | 1.5 | 0.6 |
| Threes3PM | 2.1 | 1.5 |
| Field goal %FG% | 45.4% | 49.3% |
| Free throw %FT% | 79.3% | 82.8% |
| TurnoversTO | 2.1 | 1.2 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 77 | 64 |
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 | Matas Buzelis | Nikola Vučević |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 38.2 | 41.0 |
| Points | 20.3 | 18.9 |
| Rebounds | 7.3 | 10.6 |
| Assists | 2.4 | 4.3 |
| Steals | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Blocks | 1.9 | 0.8 |
| Threes | 2.6 | 2.0 |
| Turnovers | 2.6 | 1.7 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
Advertisement
9-category z-scores
| Category | Matas Buzelis | Nikola Vučević |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -0.0 | -0.4 |
| ReboundsREB | +0.0 | +1.0 |
| AssistsAST | -0.9 | -0.2 |
| StealsSTL | -1.0 | -1.2 |
| BlocksBLK | +1.8 | -0.2 |
| Threes3PM | +0.5 | -0.2 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.7 | +0.1 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -0.1 | +0.1 |
| TurnoversTO | -0.3 | +0.8 |
| Total | -0.7 | -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 rebounds, assists, field goal percentage and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to Matas Buzelis.
| Punt | Matas Buzelis | Nikola Vučević |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -0.7 (#90) | +0.1 (#54) |
| REB | -0.8 (#82) | -1.2 (#105) |
| AST | +0.1 (#50) | -0.1 (#55) |
| STL | +0.2 (#57) | +1.0 (#32) |
| BLK | -2.6 (#157) | -0.2 (#66) |
| 3PM | -1.2 (#100) | -0.2 (#69) |
| FG% | -0.1 (#64) | -0.5 (#72) |
| FT% | -0.7 (#80) | -0.4 (#76) |
| TO | -0.4 (#68) | -1.1 (#85) |
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)
- Matas Buzelis: 3 games (Wed @TOR, Fri @MIL, Sat WAS), 1 back-to-back.
- Nikola Vučević: 3 games (Wed ATL, Fri MIN, Sun @NYK).
Recent games
- Matas Buzelis: 27.2 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 30.7 on the board.
- Nikola Vučević: 2.7 fantasy points a game over his last 1 of 2026-27, against 30.7 on the board.
Advertisement
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Matas Buzelis playing tonight? · Is Nikola Vučević playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Matas Buzelis
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Matas Buzelis or Nikola Vučević?
Points leagues: Nikola Vučević. 30.7 fantasy points per game against 30.7, 78th on our board to 79th. 9-cat leagues: Nikola Vučević again, -0.2 in summed z-scores against -0.7 (62nd to 76th).
Who wins more categories, Matas Buzelis or Nikola Vučević?
Category by category, Matas Buzelis is ahead in 4 (PTS, STL, BLK and 3PM) and Nikola Vučević in 5 (REB, AST, FG%, FT% and TO).
Who should I start in Week 1, Matas Buzelis or Nikola Vučević?
Matas Buzelis plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Nikola Vučević 3, an even 92.1 projected fantasy points each.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 22, 2026 at 8:57 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number