Paul Reed starts 38 minutes for Pistons in Wednesday win

Fantasy basketball: Reed posted 16 points, three steals and a pair of threes while starting 38 minutes against Charlotte, making him a strong add with a…

By Fantasy Roundup Staff · October 29, 2026 · Updated October 29, 2026

Paul Reed started and played 38 minutes on Wednesday, October 28, posting 16 points, four rebounds, three steals, one block and two threes on 5-of-7 shooting and 4-of-4 from the line in Detroit's 97-89 victory over Charlotte. He added three turnovers and no assists.

The workload and starting role make Reed a compelling option in both nine-category leagues, where his 0.86 nine-category value reflects strong contributions across steals and shooting efficiency, and points leagues, where he projects to 28.5 fantasy points per game. Over last season (65 games), he averaged 7.8 points and 4.5 rebounds in just 13.9 minutes a night while starting only 17 per cent of his games. A starting job is the biggest driver of fantasy value in basketball.

Fantasy impact

Player by player

Paul Reed

Reed has now started three of five games this season, averaging 14.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.8 blocks and 1.0 three in 26.0 minutes per contest. His usage sits at 21.0 per cent on 70.6 per cent true shooting, elite efficiency that supports strong field-goal percentage in nine-category formats. The triple in steals Wednesday adds category juice beyond his glass-cleaning base, and the two threes marked his second multi-three outing in five games after averaging 0.2 per game last season.

Detroit has one game left this week, Wednesday on the second night of a back-to-back, then no games next week. The Pistons have played five games already, so their schedule lightens considerably after the midweek contest. Reed's combination of volume, efficiency and defensive stats makes him a strong fantasy option when he starts, but managers will need to monitor the rotation closely given his limited role last season.

What to do

• Add Paul Reed in nine-category and points leagues where he remains available, as his starting role and minutes deliver value across multiple categories.

• Start Reed on Wednesday's back-to-back with confidence given his workload and category contributions.

• Monitor Detroit's rotation updates after this week, as the Pistons have no games next week and Reed's role could shift.

Schedule this week