Mikal Bridges vs Wendell Carter Jr.: who to start in Week 3
Mikal Bridges plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Wendell Carter Jr. 3. For that week alone, start Wendell Carter Jr.: 82.2 projected fantasy points to 76.7 for Mikal Bridges. Over the season, Wendell Carter Jr. leads in points leagues (27.4 fantasy points a game to 25.6) and Mikal Bridges in 9-cat leagues (93rd against 94th). 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. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #142
- 25.6 FP/G, slot 12.10, $3
- 9-cat leagues
- #93
- -0.9 z, slot 8.09, $10
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
- Points leagues
- #120
- 27.4 FP/G, slot 10.12, $6
- 9-cat leagues
- #94
- -1.0 z, slot 8.10, $10
The pick in points leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Wendell Carter Jr.. 27.4 fantasy points per game against 25.6, 120th on our board to 142nd.
9-cat leagues: Mikal Bridges instead, -0.9 in summed z-scores against -1.0 (93rd to 94th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Mikal Bridges is ahead in 6 (AST, STL, BLK, 3PM, FT% and TO) and Wendell Carter Jr. in 2 (REB and FG%).
Per 36 minutes, Wendell Carter Jr. produces more: 32.7 fantasy points to 29.4, on 30.1 minutes a night against 31.3. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Mikal Bridges plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Wendell Carter Jr. 3. For that week alone, start Wendell Carter Jr.: 82.2 projected fantasy points to 76.7 for Mikal Bridges.
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.
Per game, side by side
| Per game | Mikal Bridges | Wendell Carter Jr. |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 25.6 | 27.4 |
| Minutes | 31.3 | 30.1 |
| PointsPTS | 12.0 | 12.3 |
| ReboundsREB | 3.5 | 7.8 |
| AssistsAST | 3.2 | 1.7 |
| StealsSTL | 1.2 | 0.9 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.6 | 0.6 |
| Threes3PM | 1.7 | 0.9 |
| Field goal %FG% | 45.8% | 53.8% |
| Free throw %FT% | 82.7% | 79.2% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.0 | 1.4 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 82 | 78 |
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 | Wendell Carter Jr. |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 29.4 | 32.7 |
| Points | 13.9 | 14.7 |
| Rebounds | 4.1 | 9.3 |
| Assists | 3.7 | 2.1 |
| Steals | 1.3 | 1.1 |
| Blocks | 0.7 | 0.7 |
| Threes | 1.9 | 1.1 |
| Turnovers | 1.1 | 1.7 |
Each per-game number divided by minutes and scaled to 36: the rate a bigger role would carry.
9-category z-scores
| Category | Mikal Bridges | Wendell Carter Jr. |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -0.8 | -0.8 |
| ReboundsREB | -1.0 | +0.8 |
| AssistsAST | -0.3 | -1.0 |
| StealsSTL | +0.3 | -0.3 |
| BlocksBLK | -0.1 | -0.2 |
| Threes3PM | +0.0 | -0.8 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | -0.4 | +0.7 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | +0.1 | -0.1 |
| TurnoversTO | +1.2 | +0.6 |
| Total | -0.9 | -1.0 |
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 assists, steals, threes, free throw percentage and turnovers flips the 9-cat answer to Wendell Carter Jr..
| Punt | Mikal Bridges | Wendell Carter Jr. |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | -0.2 (#70) | -0.2 (#72) |
| REB | -0.1 (#63) | -2.0 (#137) |
| AST | -0.8 (#84) | -0.0 (#56) |
| STL | -1.4 (#111) | -0.7 (#83) |
| BLK | -1.0 (#96) | -1.1 (#101) |
| 3PM | -1.0 (#95) | -0.2 (#64) |
| FG% | -0.6 (#79) | -2.0 (#129) |
| FT% | -1.1 (#99) | -0.9 (#88) |
| TO | -2.3 (#120) | -1.8 (#110) |
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)
- Mikal Bridges: 3 games (Mon BKN, Wed CHI, Sat @CLE).
- Wendell Carter Jr.: 3 games (Mon WAS, Thu @PHX, Sat @GSW), 1 back-to-back.
Recent games
- Mikal Bridges: 15.0 fantasy points a game over his last 7 of 2026-27, against 25.6 on the board.
- Wendell Carter Jr.: 28.0 fantasy points a game over his last 7 of 2026-27, against 27.4 on the board.
Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Mikal Bridges playing tonight? · Is Wendell Carter Jr. playing tonight?
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Mikal Bridges or Wendell Carter Jr.?
Points leagues: Wendell Carter Jr.. 27.4 fantasy points per game against 25.6, 120th on our board to 142nd. 9-cat leagues: Mikal Bridges instead, -0.9 in summed z-scores against -1.0 (93rd to 94th), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Mikal Bridges or Wendell Carter Jr.?
Category by category, Mikal Bridges is ahead in 6 (AST, STL, BLK, 3PM, FT% and TO) and Wendell Carter Jr. in 2 (REB and FG%).
Who should I start in Week 3, Mikal Bridges or Wendell Carter Jr.?
Mikal Bridges plays 3 games in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), Wendell Carter Jr. 3. For that week alone, start Wendell Carter Jr.: 82.2 projected fantasy points to 76.7 for Mikal Bridges.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Nov 3, 2026 at 12:36 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number