Cedric Coward or DeMar DeRozan? Week 3
Who to start in fantasy basketball in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), SGs ranked 19th and 22nd at the position, compared on 2025-26 and 2026-27 per-game production.
Updated Nov 3, 4:36 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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The Week 3 call
Points leagues, Week 3 (Nov 2-8): start DeMar DeRozan. Both have 2 games left in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), so it comes down to per game: 27.5 fantasy points to 27.3.
9-cat leagues: Cedric Coward instead, -2.9 category value for the week to -3.7, because his category mix is worth more there.
Cedric Coward's minutes are up: 28.8 a game over his last 5 games of 2026-27, against 26.6 on the board.
DeMar DeRozan's minutes are down: 24.4 a game over his last 5 games of 2026-27, against 29.5 on the board.
This is the call for one lineup slot across the week, the way weekly-lock leagues play it. In a daily-lineup league, start whichever of the two plays that night, and both when they fit.
Cedric Coward rookie cardsDeMar DeRozan rookie cards
Week 3 (Nov 2-8), side by side
| This week | Cedric Coward | DeMar DeRozan |
|---|---|---|
| Games, Week 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Games counted (left this week) | 2 | 2 |
| Back-to-backs | 0 | 0 |
| Games, Week 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Minutes, last games | 28.8 (last 5) | 24.4 (last 5) |
| Minutes, board | 26.6 | 29.5 |
| Shots per 36, last games | 13.3 | 12.7 |
| Injury | None listed | None listed |
| Projected fantasy points | 54.6 | 55.0 |
| Projected 9-cat value | -2.9 | -3.7 |
Schedule: Cedric Coward Mon NOP, Wed IND, Fri OKC. DeMar DeRozan Mon POR, Wed TOR, Sat @IND.
Projected totals for the games counted
| Stat | Cedric Coward | DeMar DeRozan |
|---|---|---|
| Points | 26.8 | 32.4 |
| Rebounds | 13.3 | 5.3 |
| Assists | 5.4 | 7.4 |
| Steals | 1.6 | 2.1 |
| Blocks | 0.7 | 0.5 |
| Threes | 3.6 | 1.1 |
| Turnovers | 3.1 | 2.6 |
Each projection is the board's per-game line times the games counted; a player listed Out counts none. 9-cat value is the per-game category score (z-scores against the top 156) times games. Minutes and shots per 36 come from the last 5 games of 2026-27. Schedule from the NBA's published slate via ESPN.
The season-long call
Points leagues: DeMar DeRozan, 27.5 fantasy points per game to 27.3.
9-cat leagues: Cedric Coward instead, 108th overall against 126th, because the categories reward a different mix.
Cedric Coward vs DeMar DeRozan: the full comparison, per 36 and by punt build
Per game, side by side
| Stat | Cedric Coward | DeMar DeRozan |
|---|---|---|
| Fantasy points per game | 27.3 | 27.5 |
| Minutes | 26.6 | 29.5 |
| PointsPTS | 13.4 | 16.2 |
| ReboundsREB | 6.7 | 2.7 |
| AssistsAST | 2.7 | 3.7 |
| StealsSTL | 0.8 | 1.0 |
| BlocksBLK | 0.4 | 0.3 |
| Threes3PM | 1.8 | 0.5 |
| Field goal %FG% | 47.6% | 47.7% |
| Free throw %FT% | 82.0% | 86.0% |
| TurnoversTO | 1.5 | 1.3 |
Bold is the better number. Per-game lines blend last season with this one, the same numbers the rankings use.
Other close calls
Week 3 streamers · NBA waiver wire · Games per team this week
Is Cedric Coward playing tonight? · Is DeMar DeRozan playing tonight?
Your next move
Common questions
Should I start Cedric Coward or DeMar DeRozan in Week 3?
Points leagues, Week 3 (Nov 2-8): start DeMar DeRozan. Both have 2 games left in Week 3 (Nov 2-8), so it comes down to per game: 27.5 fantasy points to 27.3. 9-cat leagues: Cedric Coward instead, -2.9 category value for the week to -3.7, because his category mix is worth more there. Cedric Coward's minutes are up: 28.8 a game over his last 5 games of 2026-27, against 26.6 on the board. DeMar DeRozan's minutes are down: 24.4 a game over his last 5 games of 2026-27, against 29.5 on the board.
Who is better for the season, Cedric Coward or DeMar DeRozan?
Points leagues: DeMar DeRozan, 27.5 fantasy points per game to 27.3. 9-cat leagues: Cedric Coward instead, 108th overall against 126th, because the categories reward a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Cedric Coward or DeMar DeRozan?
Cedric Coward is ahead in 3 (rebounds, blocks, threes); DeMar DeRozan in 5 (points, assists, steals, free throw percentage, turnovers), per game.
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Nov 3, 2026 at 4:36 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number