Friday marks the anticipated return of Courtney Williams with her new team the Atlanta Dream. That is good news for WNBA fans, but not necessarily for anyone looking to play the Dream in DFS. Kennedy Carter, Betnijah Laney, and Blake Dietrick will all likely see their minutes and shots decrease, and it is tough to pay full price for them until we know exactly what their roles will be. At the same time, I don’t know how we can play Courtney Williams sight unseen. We have already seen Teaira McCowan and Kayla McBride start slowly and only play a handful of minutes after joining the Wubble late, and it is fair to expect the same from Williams. Glory Johnson has a chance to return as well, which could disrupt the playing time for Monique Billings and Elizabeth Williams. Of the two, I think Williams is the safest, even if Johnson plays.
The other big injury to watch is Kia Nurse. Nurse was a surprise starter Wednesday but was largely ineffective on offense in 22 minutes. She is questionable for Friday, but I think we need to see her play well before we play her. If Nurse is out, whoever starts in her place is a DFS consideration, though I will be most interested in Jazmine Jones, whether she starts or not. Fortunately, New York and Atlanta play in the early game, so we will have clarity on Nurse, Williams and Johnson when we set our lineups.
Guards |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Jazmine Jones | NY | ATL | 4600 | 11.25 | 3700 | 11.20 |
I'll like her better if Kia Nurse is ruled out, or at least if she doesn't start. Even so, Jones was third on the team in field goal attempts Wednesday despite being eighth in minutes. She only shot 30 percent from the field, but if she starts making her shots, she will be a great value. |
Sabrina Ionescu | NY | ATL | 10300 | 39.12 | 6600 | 35.55 |
I don't think she's safe by any stretch, as she showed in Game 1 when her and her teammates were struggling to make shots. That being said, she's sixth in the league in usage, and that will lead to fantasy production more often than not. A really nice matchup against Atlanta helps as well. |
Diana Taurasi | PHO | LV | 7400 | 21.5 | 5500 | 22.65 |
She's averaging 21.5 fppg despite shooting 5-17 from the field through two games. This is a continuation of the terrible shooting we saw from her last season, and I'm not completely convinced that is going to change. That being said, Mercury head coach Sandy Brondello said Taurasi needs to be more aggressive on offense, and if she can get a couple of easy buckets, that could unlock the rest of her game. Only two teams have allowed more fantasy points to guards than Las Vegas so far, and I like Taurasi best of the guards around her same price. |
Skylar Diggins-Smith | PHO | LV | 7900 | 21.38 | 6100 | 19.10 |
I think it's interesting Brondello wants Taurasi to be more aggressive, because according to the numbers, Skylar Diggins-Smith is the one who should be shooting more. She is shooting 66.7 percent from the field yet has just 12 field goal attempts through two games. Diggins-Smith has averaged more than 12 FGA per game in four of her last five WNBA seasons. Maybe there are just too many mouths to feed in Phoenix, and maybe Diggins-Smith will continue to have the eighth-highest usage on the team. That just seems absurd. She was the best point guard in the league as recently as 2018, and I refuse to give up on her. I think she's proven her floor is the same as Taurasi's, and you're paying a bit extra for a higher ceiling. |
Katie Lou Samuelson | DAL | IND | 3900 | 12.88 | 3400 | 12.25 |
If you cannot quite afford Jazmine Jones, Katie Lou Samuelson is a solid punt play. She has played at least 18 minutes in both games, and she has another nice matchup against Indiana. She will never be the focal point of the offense, but I like how Dallas is using her as a screener, which has led to open threes as well as layups at the basket. |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Victoria Vivians | IND | DAL | 5200 | 12 | 4000 | 11.15 |
Vivians is probably a bit safer than Jazmine Jones, especially if Kia Nurse starts. Vivians is a proven shooter, and she won't shoot 35 percent from the field for much longer. |
| | | | | | | |
Forwards |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Amanda Zahui B | NY | ATL | 8700 | 25.38 | 6000 | 24.40 |
Zahui B is shooting 34.8 percent from the field, which would be the lowest percentage of her career. She has shot at least 46.8 percent in each of her last two seasons. It's encouraging to see her averaging a career-high 11.5 FGA per game, and I believe the shots will start falling soon. Only Phoenix and Indiana have allowed more points than Atlanta this season, and no team has allowed more offensive rebounds. |
Elizabeth Williams | ATL | NY | 9600 | 30.88 | 6500 | 33.60 |
With Courtney Williams expected to return and Glory Johnson possibly available as well, Williams is the only Dream player I trust for fantasy. |
Isabelle Harrison | DAL | IND | 8300 | 28 | 6200 | 28.35 |
She scored 21 fantasy points in 21 minutes Wednesday despite shooting 1-5 from the field. I think that kind of floor is promising, even if I would feel better if she had played 30 minutes again. |
Alanna Smith | PHO | LV | 4000 | 16.88 | 3500 | 15.65 |
I think at some point Phoenix's Big Three will actually play like the stars we know they are. If that is the case, Smith might go back to playing 12 minutes and scoring zero points like she did in the opener. That being said, she is still pretty cheap, and if she can repeat was she did in 20 minutes on Wednesday, you are still getting a nice discount. |
Candice Dupree | IND | DAL | 8400 | 31.62 | 6500 | 32.05 |
It is really nice to see Dupree finally taking and making threes after feasting on long twos for her entire career. I don't know how you can score 43.25 fantasy points and have your price only rise $100. She is averaging 14.5 FGA per game, and she has her best matchup so far against Dallas. |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Teaira McCowan | IND | DAL | 8800 | 24.88 | 6000 | 24.20 |
McCowan bounced back from a terrible game against Washington to score 44.25 fantays points in 31 minutes against Phoenix. I'm a little concerned her minutes will dip back down agianst a Dallas team that can go smaller and quicker at the five, but she has a huge ceiling for someone so cheap. There is a reason she had so much hype coming into this season. |
Angel McCoughtry | LV | PHO | 10700 | 34.38 | 7000 | 35.00 |
McCoughtry only played 15 minutes Wednesday but still scored 29.75 fantasy points. If Phoenix can keep this game within 30 points, McCoughtry will likely play 20+ minutes again. She is averaging 1.70 fantasy points per minute through two games. |
A'ja Wilson | LV | PHO | 11100 | 41 | 7800 | 39.20 |
The MVP discussion is probably a bit premature, especially considering the teams she has faced, but two straight 20/10 games is impressive nonetheless. Only two teams have allowed more fantasy points to opposing forwards than Phoenix so far this season, and Wilson should be a safe fantasy play yet again. |
Satou Sabally | DAL | IND | 8500 | 25.62 | 5100 | 26.40 |
I'm not sure why she is so cheap on FanDuel. She has been consistent for fantasy despite only shooting 38.5 percent from the field and 12.5 percent on threes. She's a cash play at the very least, but there could be a big game coming soon. |
DK Cash | | | DK GPP |
Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | | Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
G | Jazmine Jones | NY | @ATL | 11.25 | $4,600 | | | G | Jazmine Jones | NY | @ATL | 11.25 | $4,600 |
G | Skylar Diggins-Smith | PHO | LAV | 21.38 | $7,900 | | | G | Sabrina Ionescu | NY | @ATL | 39.12 | $10,300 |
F | Candice Dupree | IND | @DAL | 31.62 | $8,400 | | | F | Teaira McCowan | IND | @DAL | 24.88 | $8,800 |
F | Isabelle Harrison | DAL | IND | 28 | $8,300 | | | F | Alanna Smith | PHO | LAV | 16.88 | $4,000 |
F | A'ja Wilson | LAV | @PHO | 41 | $11,100 | | | F | A'ja Wilson | LAV | @PHO | 41 | $11,100 |
Util | Elizabeth Williams | ATL | NY | 30.88 | $9,600 | | | Util | Angel McCoughtry | LAV | @PHO | 34.38 | $10,700 |
| | | | Total | $49,900 | | | | | | | Total | $49,500 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
DK Pivot Cash | | | DK Pivot GPP |
Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | | Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
G | Jazmine Jones | NY | @ATL | 11.25 | $4,600 | 0 | | G | Victoria Vivians | IND | @DAL | 12 | $5,200 |
G | Diana Taurasi | PHO | LAV | 21.5 | $7,400 | 1 | | G | Sabrina Ionescu | NY | @ATL | 39.12 | $10,300 |
F | Candice Dupree | IND | @DAL | 31.62 | $8,400 | 0 | | F | Amanda Zahui B | NY | @ATL | 25.38 | $8,700 |
F | Amanda Zahui B | NY | @ATL | 25.38 | $8,700 | 1 | | F | Alanna Smith | PHO | LAV | 16.88 | $4,000 |
F | A'ja Wilson | LAV | @PHO | 41 | $11,100 | 0 | | F | A'ja Wilson | LAV | @PHO | 41 | $11,100 |
Util | Elizabeth Williams | ATL | NY | 30.88 | $9,600 | 0 | | Util | Angel McCoughtry | LAV | @PHO | 34.38 | $10,700 |
| | | | Total | $49,800 | | | | | | | Total | $50,000 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
FD Cash | | | FD GPP |
Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | | Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
G | Jazmine Jones | NY | ATL | 11.20 | $3,700 | | | G | Jazmine Jones | NY | ATL | 11.20 | $3,700 |
G | Skylar Diggins-Smith | PHO | LV | 19.10 | $6,100 | | | G | Skylar Diggins-Smith | PHO | LV | 19.10 | $6,100 |
G | Diana Taurasi | PHO | LV | 22.65 | $5,500 | | | G | Sabrina Ionescu | NY | ATL | 35.55 | $6,600 |
F | Amanda Zahui B | NY | ATL | 24.40 | $6,000 | | | F | Amanda Zahui B | NY | ATL | 24.40 | $6,000 |
F | Satou Sabally | DAL | IND | 26.40 | $5,100 | | | F | Alanna Smith | PHO | LV | 15.65 | $3,500 |
F | Angel McCoughtry | LV | PHO | 35.00 | $7,000 | | | F | A'ja Wilson | LV | PHO | 39.20 | $7,800 |
F | Candice Dupree | IND | DAL | 32.05 | $6,500 | | | F | Isabelle Harrison | DAL | IND | 28.35 | $6,200 |
| | | | Total | $39,900 | | | | | | | Total | $39,900 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
FD Pivot Cash | | | FD Pivot GPP |
Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | | Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
G | Jazmine Jones | NY | ATL | 11.20 | $3,700 | 0 | | G | Jazmine Jones | NY | ATL | 11.20 | $3,700 |
G | Skylar Diggins-Smith | PHO | LV | 19.10 | $6,100 | 0 | | G | Diana Taurasi | PHO | LV | 22.65 | $5,500 |
G | Layshia Clarendon | NY | ATL | 27.35 | $5,200 | 1 | | G | Sabrina Ionescu | NY | ATL | 35.55 | $6,600 |
F | Amanda Zahui B | NY | ATL | 24.40 | $6,000 | 0 | | F | Amanda Zahui B | NY | ATL | 24.40 | $6,000 |
F | Satou Sabally | DAL | IND | 26.40 | $5,100 | 0 | | F | Alanna Smith | PHO | LV | 15.65 | $3,500 |
F | Angel McCoughtry | LV | PHO | 35.00 | $7,000 | 0 | | F | A'ja Wilson | LV | PHO | 39.20 | $7,800 |
F | Elizabeth Williams | ATL | NY | 33.60 | $6,500 | 1 | | F | Candice Dupree | IND | DAL | 32.05 | $6,500 |
| | | | Total | $39,600 | | | | | | | Total | $39,600 |