Mikal Bridges vs Neemias Queta: who to start in Week 1
Mikal Bridges plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Neemias Queta 2. For that week alone, start Mikal Bridges: 82.4 projected fantasy points to 55.4 for Neemias Queta. Over the season, Neemias Queta leads in both formats: 27.7 fantasy points a game to 27.5, and 63rd against 64th 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 24, 8:26 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #109
- 27.5 FP/G, slot 10.01, $8
- 9-cat leagues
- #64
- -0.2 z, slot 6.04, $14
- Points leagues
- #108
- 27.7 FP/G, slot 9.12, $8
- 9-cat leagues
- #63
- -0.1 z, slot 6.03, $15
The pick in points and 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Neemias Queta. 27.7 fantasy points per game against 27.5, 108th on our board to 109th.
9-cat leagues: Neemias Queta again, -0.1 in summed z-scores against -0.2 (63rd to 64th).
Category by category, Mikal Bridges is ahead in 6 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM, FT% and TO) and Neemias Queta in 3 (REB, BLK and FG%).
Per 36 minutes, Neemias Queta produces more: 39.9 fantasy points to 30.7, on 24.9 minutes a night against 32.2. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Mikal Bridges plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Neemias Queta 2. For that week alone, start Mikal Bridges: 82.4 projected fantasy points to 55.4 for Neemias Queta.
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 | Mikal Bridges | Neemias Queta |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 27.5 | 27.7 |
| Minutes | 32.2 | 24.9 |
| PointsPTS | 12.9 | 10.1 |
| ReboundsREB | 3.6 | 8.0 |
| AssistsAST | 3.6 | 1.6 |
| StealsSTL | 1.2 | 0.8 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.7 | 1.5 |
| Threes3PM | 1.7 | 0.1 |
| Field goal %FG% | 46.0% | 63.3% |
| Free throw %FT% | 82.7% | 68.7% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 82 | 76 |
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 | Mikal Bridges | Neemias Queta |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 30.7 | 39.9 |
| Points | 14.5 | 14.5 |
| Rebounds | 4.0 | 11.5 |
| Assists | 4.0 | 2.4 |
| Steals | 1.4 | 1.1 |
| Blocks | 0.8 | 2.1 |
| Threes | 1.9 | 0.1 |
| Turnovers | 1.1 | 1.5 |
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 | Mikal Bridges | Neemias Queta |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -0.6 | -1.1 |
| ReboundsREB | -1.0 | +1.0 |
| AssistsAST | -0.0 | -1.0 |
| StealsSTL | +0.5 | -0.7 |
| BlocksBLK | +0.1 | +1.6 |
| Threes3PM | +0.1 | -1.6 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.5 | +1.6 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.1 | -0.9 |
| TurnoversTO | +1.1 | +1.0 |
| Total | -0.2 | -0.1 |
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, blocks and field goal percentage flips the 9-cat answer to Mikal Bridges.
| Punt | Mikal Bridges | Neemias Queta |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | +0.3 (#48) | +0.9 (#33) |
| REB | +0.8 (#41) | -1.4 (#119) |
| AST | -0.2 (#61) | +0.8 (#41) |
| STL | -0.8 (#84) | +0.5 (#48) |
| BLK | -0.4 (#67) | -2.1 (#139) |
| 3PM | -0.4 (#72) | +1.5 (#30) |
| FG% | +0.3 (#55) | -2.4 (#139) |
| FT% | -0.4 (#73) | +0.8 (#42) |
| TO | -1.4 (#93) | -1.3 (#90) |
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)
- Mikal Bridges: 3 games (Tue PHI, Fri @BOS, Sun ORL).
- Neemias Queta: 2 games (Tue @DET, Fri NYK).
Recent games
- Mikal Bridges: 10.6 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 27.5 on the board.
- Neemias Queta: 24.8 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 27.7 on the board.
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Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Mikal Bridges playing tonight? · Is Neemias Queta playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Neemias Queta
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Mikal Bridges or Neemias Queta?
Points leagues: Neemias Queta. 27.7 fantasy points per game against 27.5, 108th on our board to 109th. 9-cat leagues: Neemias Queta again, -0.1 in summed z-scores against -0.2 (63rd to 64th).
Who wins more categories, Mikal Bridges or Neemias Queta?
Category by category, Mikal Bridges is ahead in 6 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM, FT% and TO) and Neemias Queta in 3 (REB, BLK and FG%).
Who should I start in Week 1, Mikal Bridges or Neemias Queta?
Mikal Bridges plays 3 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Neemias Queta 2. For that week alone, start Mikal Bridges: 82.4 projected fantasy points to 55.4 for Neemias Queta.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 24, 2026 at 8:26 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number