WNBA DFS Playbook August 18: Top DraftKings & FanDuel WNBA DFS Picks
It is rare for me to fade an entire team in any WNBA DFS Playbook, but with five games on Friday’s slate, I’m fading the Washington Mystics. Elena Delle Donne and Aerial Atkins are probable and Shakira Austin is questionable after they all missed over a month. Mystics head coach Eric Thibault said all three will face minutes restrictions if they play. Austin actually returned Sunday and scored 13 fantasy points in 14 minutes, and all three players have that kind of downside in this game. We are getting all three at a discount, especially on DraftKings, but even so, I don’t want to mess around with them after such a long absence. At the same time, I am concerned they will get enough minutes and shots to take away from Natasha Cloud and Brittney Sykes, who had to carry the load the last few weeks. We might not have a choice in a shorter slate but with nine other teams in action and a couple of great value plays available, I have no intention of playing any Mystcs Friday.
WNBA DFS Picks August 18
| Guards | ||||||
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Aari McDonald | ATL | CHI | 5400 | 15.31 | 4600 | 14.39 |
| McDonald might not start, but she would almost certainly get more minutes and shots if Rhyne Howard is out. Whoever starts in Howard's spot would be playable for fantasy, but I might prefer McDonald off the bench to someone like Monique Billings or Naz Hillmon. | ||||||
| Sophie Cunningham | PHO | NY | 7300 | 19.79 | 5900 | 18.95 |
| Cunningham has averaged 25.8 fantasy points in 31.0 minutes over her last four games. Perhaps more importantly, Cunningham is averaging 27.5 fantasy points in 29.1 minutes in two games against the Liberty this season. | ||||||
| Rachel Banham | MIN | SEA | 4300 | 11.41 | 4100 | 10.55 |
| Tiffany Mitchell has been better as a starter, but Banham is much cheaper on DK and she's been better per-minute than Mitchell. I had Mitchell in here but with Minnesota playing one of the two late games, I prefer Banham's floor and her price. That being said, in an ideal world, I would have enough roster flexibility for the last two games to pivot to whoever starts. | ||||||
| Sami Whitcomb | SEA | MIN | 8100 | 18.92 | 5600 | 17.88 |
| Whitcomb has played at least 28 minutes and scored at least 21.75 fantasy points in four straight games. Minnesota is 10th in fantasy points allowed to guards, and they were worse than that before Lindsay Allen rejoined the starting lineup. Allen is out for 4-6 weeks and Whitcomb has averaged 30.6 fantasy points and 26.3 minutes in two games against Minnesota this season. | ||||||
| Diana Taurasi | PHO | NY | 10000 | 30.92 | 6500 | 28.87 |
| Taurasi has averaged 34.8 fppg on 3+ days rest, compared to 27.6 fppg on 1-2 days rest. Perhaps more importantly, the Liberty are on the second night of a back-to-back and their fourth game in six days. Taurasi had 41.8 fantasy points in her only game against New York this season. | ||||||
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Jewell Loyd | SEA | MIN | 10900 | 38.02 | 8100 | 36.21 |
| Loyd might benefit from four days off, as she is averaging the third-most mpg with the highest usage in the league. Minnesota has climbed to 10th in fantasy points allowed to guards and Loyd is averaging 43.0 fppg against them. Loyd should be safer than Diana Taurasi but she will cost you. | ||||||
| Forwards | ||||||
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Michaela Onyenwere | PHO | NY | 5200 | 17.84 | 3900 | 17.31 |
| Brianna Turner's minutes might be safer, but both Turner and Onyenwere should play plenty with Brittney Griner and Megan Gustafson out. Onyenwere is averaging 19.6 fantasy points and 25.4 minutes in 17 starts while Turner is averaging a team-low 16.6 fantasy points in 28.5 minutes. Onyenwere is also cheaper on both sites. | ||||||
| Napheesa Collier | MIN | SEA | 11300 | 39.76 | 8600 | 39.94 |
| I'll feel better about this pick if Dorka Juhasz starts, but of the elite forwards on this slate, Collier has the best matchup by far. She averaged 57.3 fantasy points in two games against Seattle this season, and I think it probably also helps that Minnesota has had a week off between games.Collier has averaged 43.2 fantasy points in five games on 4+ days rest. | ||||||
| NaLyssa Smith | IND | WAS | 8300 | 29.51 | 6800 | 27.35 |
| Smith saw a bump in playing time Sunday, scoring 30.75 fantasy points in 27 minutes off the bench. That basically matches her pre-injury production, but we are still getting a bit of a discount. I'll feel better about this call if she starts but I think she's my favorite mid-priced forward either way. | ||||||
| Aliyah Boston | IND | WAS | 10600 | 33.11 | 8400 | 34.01 |
| Boston was miscast as the lone big in Indiana but ever since Emma Cannon joined the starting lineup and then NaLyssa Smith returned, Boston has averaged 42.05 fantasy points in five games. Of the players on this slate, only Breanna Stewart and Alyssa Thomas have averaged more than 40 fppg this season. | ||||||
| Cheyenne Parker | ATL | CHI | 9700 | 29.63 | 7300 | 30.30 |
| Parker is finally seeing heavier minutes in her last four games, averaging 31.5 minutes and 28.8 fantasy points. She is averaging 31.3 fantasy points in 24.9 minutes in three games against the Sky, who are 11th in fantasy points allowed to forwards. Even if Parker's minutes wane a bit, she should be safe in this matchup. | ||||||
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Alyssa Thomas | CON | DAL | 12100 | 44.88 | 9100 | 43.74 |
| Dallas is frouth in fantasy points allowed to fowards but Thomas is so good that I don't think I care. She had 51 fantasy points at Dallas on Saturday and with so much savings on this slate, I'm paying up for Thomas. | ||||||
| Dorka Juhasz | MIN | SEA | 7900 | 18.84 | 5300 | 19.04 |
| Juhasz returned from a hamstring injury to play just 13 minutes off the bench her last time out. She has had a week to recover since then, and if she returns to the starting lineup, she is too cheap on FanDuel. In fact, I might consider her on both sites even off the bench. In two games against Seattle Juhasz has averaged 29.6 minutes and 31.5 fantasy points. | ||||||
WNBA DFS Core Plays
| Draftkings Core Plays | ||
| Top Tier | Jewell Loyd | $10,900 |
| Alyssa Thomas | $12,100 | |
| Mid Tier | Sophie Cunningham | $7,300 |
| NaLyssa Smith | $8,300 | |
| Value Tier | Rachel Banham | $4,300 |
| Michaela Onyenwere | $5,200 | |
| Fanduel Core Plays | ||
| Top Tier | Diana Taurasi | $6,500 |
| Napheesa Collier | $8,600 | |
| Mid Tier | Sami Whitcomb | $5,600 |
| Dorka Juhasz | $5,300 | |
| Value Tier | Rachel Banham | $4,100 |
| Michaela Onyenwere | $3,900 | |
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