Category-by-category for 2026-27, using per-game projections scored against the draftable pool. This one is close. Jalen Smith grades out marginally ahead on total 9-cat value, but the gap is inside the noise of a projection, so take the one who fits your build.
| Category | Jalen Smith | Sam Merrill | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 9.5 | 9.9 | Even |
| Rebounds | 6.4 | 2.4 | Jalen Smith by 1.63 |
| Assists | 1.3 | 2.0 | Sam Merrill by 0.36 |
| Steals | 0.6 | 0.7 | Sam Merrill by 0.37 |
| Blocks | 0.8 | 0.1 | Jalen Smith by 1.23 |
| Threes made | 1.3 | 2.6 | Sam Merrill by 1.33 |
| Field goal percentage | 0.471 | 0.426 | Jalen Smith by 0.56 |
| Free throw percentage | 0.787 | 0.893 | Sam Merrill by 0.32 |
| Turnovers | 1.3 | 0.7 | Sam Merrill by 0.88 |
| Total 9-cat value | -3.98 | -4.04 | Jalen Smith |
| Overall rank | 202 | 204 | |
| Status | Available | DTD |
Full profiles: Jalen Smith and Sam Merrill. To compare any other players, or to see who actually plays tonight, use Start or Sit.
This one is close. Jalen Smith grades out marginally ahead on total 9-cat value, but the gap is inside the noise of a projection, so take the one who fits your build.
Per-game projections for 2026-27 converted to z-scores against the draftable pool, one per category, then totalled. A positive z means above the pool average in that category. No editorial judgement is applied.
Not necessarily. This page is 9-cat. Points leagues ignore the percentage categories and treat turnovers differently, which usually favours high-usage scorers. Switch format on the rankings page to see the other view.
Projections already carry an expected minutes load, but they cannot price a player who is ruled out. Current status is shown beside each name, so check it before acting.