Neemias Queta vs Reed Sheppard: who to start in Week 1
Neemias Queta plays 2 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Reed Sheppard 3. For that week alone, start Reed Sheppard: 81.1 projected fantasy points to 55.4 for Neemias Queta. Over the season, Neemias Queta leads in points leagues (27.7 fantasy points a game to 27.0) and Reed Sheppard in 9-cat leagues (61st against 62nd). 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 25, 10:29 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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- Points leagues
- #106
- 27.7 FP/G, slot 9.10, $8
- 9-cat leagues
- #62
- -0.1 z, slot 6.02, $14
The pick in points leagues.
- Points leagues
- #113
- 27.0 FP/G, slot 10.05, $7
- 9-cat leagues
- #61
- -0.1 z, slot 6.01, $15
The pick in 9-cat leagues.
The call
Points leagues: Neemias Queta. 27.7 fantasy points per game against 27.0, 106th on our board to 113th.
9-cat leagues: Reed Sheppard instead, -0.1 in summed z-scores against -0.1 (61st to 62nd), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Category by category, Neemias Queta is ahead in 4 (REB, BLK, FG% and TO) and Reed Sheppard in 5 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM and FT%).
Per 36 minutes, Neemias Queta produces more: 39.9 fantasy points to 37.7, on 24.9 minutes a night against 25.8. He does it in fewer minutes, so a bigger role would widen the gap.
Neemias Queta plays 2 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Reed Sheppard 3. For that week alone, start Reed Sheppard: 81.1 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 | Neemias Queta | Reed Sheppard |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 27.7 | 27.0 |
| Minutes | 24.9 | 25.8 |
| PointsPTS | 10.1 | 13.2 |
| ReboundsREB | 8.0 | 3.0 |
| AssistsAST | 1.6 | 3.6 |
| StealsSTL | 0.8 | 1.5 |
| BlocksBLK | 1.5 | 0.6 |
| Threes3PM | 0.1 | 2.8 |
| Field goal %FG% | 63.3% | 42.9% |
| Free throw %FT% | 68.7% | 80.2% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.0 | 1.7 |
| Games, 2025-26 | 76 | 82 |
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 | Neemias Queta | Reed Sheppard |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points | 39.9 | 37.7 |
| Points | 14.5 | 18.5 |
| Rebounds | 11.5 | 4.2 |
| Assists | 2.4 | 5.1 |
| Steals | 1.1 | 2.2 |
| Blocks | 2.1 | 0.8 |
| Threes | 0.1 | 3.9 |
| Turnovers | 1.5 | 2.3 |
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 | Neemias Queta | Reed Sheppard |
|---|---|---|
| PointsPTS | -1.1 | -0.5 |
| ReboundsREB | +1.0 | -1.2 |
| AssistsAST | -1.0 | +0.0 |
| StealsSTL | -0.7 | +1.4 |
| BlocksBLK | +1.6 | -0.2 |
| Threes3PM | -1.6 | +1.2 |
| Field goal percentageFG% | +1.6 | -1.1 |
| Free throw percentageFT% | -0.9 | +0.0 |
| TurnoversTO | +1.0 | +0.2 |
| Total | -0.1 | -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 points, assists, steals, threes and free throw percentage flips the 9-cat answer to Neemias Queta.
| Punt | Neemias Queta | Reed Sheppard |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | +0.9 (#33) | +0.3 (#53) |
| REB | -1.5 (#119) | +1.1 (#38) |
| AST | +0.8 (#40) | -0.3 (#64) |
| STL | +0.5 (#47) | -1.7 (#130) |
| BLK | -2.1 (#141) | -0.0 (#59) |
| 3PM | +1.5 (#31) | -1.5 (#112) |
| FG% | -2.4 (#139) | +1.0 (#40) |
| FT% | +0.8 (#41) | -0.3 (#70) |
| TO | -1.3 (#90) | -0.4 (#70) |
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)
- Neemias Queta: 2 games (Tue @DET, Fri NYK).
- Reed Sheppard: 3 games (Wed DAL, Fri @SAS, Sat @ATL), 1 back-to-back.
Recent games
- Neemias Queta: 24.8 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 27.7 on the board.
- Reed Sheppard: 27.1 fantasy points a game over his last 2 of 2026-27, against 27.0 on the board.
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Other picks at the same spot
NBA fantasy rankings · Draft cheat sheet · Sleepers
Is Neemias Queta playing tonight? · Is Reed Sheppard playing tonight?
Rookie cards: Neemias Queta, Reed Sheppard
Common questions
Who is better for the rest of the 2026-27 season, Neemias Queta or Reed Sheppard?
Points leagues: Neemias Queta. 27.7 fantasy points per game against 27.0, 106th on our board to 113th. 9-cat leagues: Reed Sheppard instead, -0.1 in summed z-scores against -0.1 (61st to 62nd), because the categories pay for a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Neemias Queta or Reed Sheppard?
Category by category, Neemias Queta is ahead in 4 (REB, BLK, FG% and TO) and Reed Sheppard in 5 (PTS, AST, STL, 3PM and FT%).
Who should I start in Week 1, Neemias Queta or Reed Sheppard?
Neemias Queta plays 2 games in Week 1 (Oct 19-25), Reed Sheppard 3. For that week alone, start Reed Sheppard: 81.1 projected fantasy points to 55.4 for Neemias Queta.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 25, 2026 at 10:29 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number