Category-by-category for 2026-27, using per-game projections scored against the draftable pool. Sam Merrill is the better 9-cat player this season, by 3.69 of total value. He takes 6 of the nine categories, gaining most in Threes made and Points, and gives ground in Field goal percentage and Blocks.
| Category | Buddy Hield | Sam Merrill | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 5.2 | 9.9 | Sam Merrill by 0.91 |
| Rebounds | 1.4 | 2.4 | Sam Merrill by 0.40 |
| Assists | 0.7 | 2.0 | Sam Merrill by 0.66 |
| Steals | 0.4 | 0.7 | Sam Merrill by 0.84 |
| Blocks | 0.3 | 0.1 | Buddy Hield by 0.32 |
| Threes made | 1.2 | 2.6 | Sam Merrill by 1.48 |
| Field goal percentage | 0.431 | 0.426 | Buddy Hield by 0.37 |
| Free throw percentage | 0.861 | 0.893 | Sam Merrill by 0.18 |
| Turnovers | 0.6 | 0.7 | Even |
| Total 9-cat value | -7.73 | -4.04 | Sam Merrill |
| Overall rank | 374 | 204 | |
| Status | Available | DTD |
Full profiles: Buddy Hield and Sam Merrill. To compare any other players, or to see who actually plays tonight, use Start or Sit.
Sam Merrill is the better 9-cat player this season, by 3.69 of total value. He takes 6 of the nine categories, gaining most in Threes made and Points, and gives ground in Field goal percentage and Blocks.
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.