The 2023 WNBA season starts on Friday night, May 19th, with a big four-game slate for our WNBA DFS lineups. With the 2023 NBA Playoffs winding down, this is the perfect opportunity to play more daily fantasy basketball with the WNBA season just getting started. One of the best things about the start of the season is that it offers our first opportunity to see familiar faces in new places. With so many WNBA players changing teams in the offseason, there are all kinds of opportunities for increased playing time, usage, or perhaps just a change of scenery. For that reason, these players changing teams are a great source of fantasy WNBA sleepers for season-long leagues. They also feature heavily in today’s WNBA DFS Playbook. Of course, we have plenty of familiar names among the top WNBA daily fantasy picks like Elena Delle Donne, Sabrina Ionescu, and Diana Taurasi. Let's dive into the top WNBA DFS picks and plays on DraftKings and FanDuel ahead of Friday's slate. 

 

WNBA DFS Picks May 19

Much of the focus of the WNBA offseason was on the newly-formed super team in New York. That team features two former MVPs and likely a future one. I would not blame anyone who wanted to load up on those players for Friday’s DFS slate. For my part, I’m going to focus more on the star players who won’t have to share minutes and touches with other stars.

One of the things that makes the start of the WNBA season so exciting and challenging for building DFS lineups is that we don’t know how rotations will shake out on a lot of these teams. For that reason, it is vital to check the starting lineups before tip-off. On other slates, it is perfectly reasonable and often necessary to put bench players in your DFS lineups but in this slate, with a few exceptions, it is likely a mistake. Starting isn’t a guarantee of minutes, obviously, but it's more difficult to play 20+ minutes if you start on the bench. With so many potential value plays on the slate, sticking to only starters is a good way to narrow down the list.

WNBA DFS Top Guards

PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Diamond MillerMINCHI590004700 
Miller may be the biggest wild card on the entire slate. She led Minnesota in field goal attempts in both preseason games and while Napheesa Collier should have that position in the regular season, there is plenty of opportunity here for Miller. Reports out of Minnesota seem to be focusing on Miller's growing pains but I think she could be this team's second-best player right now. Like most of these picks, I'll feel better about Miller if she starts.
DeWanna BonnerCONIND94000610027.18
Bonner averaged just 0.85 fantasy points per minute last season on 19.2% usage. Both numbers were her lowest since 2014. With Jonquel Jones and Jasmine Thomas gone, I expect Bonner to bounce back. It also doesn't hurt that Indiana allowed the most points in the league last season and they don't really have anyone to match up with Bonner.
Tyasha HarrisCONIND55000430010.84
Harris is the only true point guard on the roster and should get every opportunity to slot in next to Tiffany Hayes in the backcourt. That won't necessarily translate into fantasy points but Harris is at least worth a shot.
Sabrina IonescuNYWAS109000830035.84
I don't know that there is necessarily a good reason to pay up for any guards outside of DeWanna Bonner and Kahleah Copper but if you have extra money to spend, Sabrina Ionescu is worth a shot. She was eighth in the league in usage last season and while that will almost certainly come down, I expect her efficiency to improve. Her teammates should also convert more of her assist chances, which would help. Ionescu is even riskier if Courtney Vandersloot plays but even in that scenario, Ionescu's ceiling is unmatched.
Layshia ClarendonLAPHO30000450019.60
I don't want to read much into Clarendon starting and playing 24 minutes against Phoenix in the preseason, but it is certainly possible she gets a similar workload Friday with Dearica Hamby, Katie Lou Samuelson, Azura Stevens, and Jasmine Thomas all working their way back from absences. Clarendon is playable on FanDuel if she starts, which would obviously make her a fantastic value on DraftKings.
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Lindsay AllenMINCHI42000350013.59
Allen had her best season in 2022 after joining Minnesota in July. She averaged a career-high 0.88 fppm, and with is Moriah Jefferson gone, Allen is the only guard on the roster. If she can match her per-minute production from last season with starter's minutes, she would be an outstanding fantasy play. But she doesn't have to do that to return value.
Kahleah CopperCHIMIN90000750025.66
I don't want to overreact to the last thing we saw from Copper, which was her improving her fantasy production in the playoffs compared to the regular season for the third straight year. That being said, Copper should be the focal point of the offense with Courtney Vandersloot, Emma Meesseman, and Candace Parker gone, and she could pretty easily outpeform her price. It also helps that Minnesota doesn't really have anyone to stay in front of her or protect the rim.
Dana EvansCHIMIN3800045007.47
Chicago's four best players are all shooting guards, so I don't really know where that leaves Dana Evans. It is possible Courtney Williams or Marina Mabrey is the de facto starting point guard and Dana Evans on the bench. That being said, she is underpriced for a starter, especially on DraftKings.
Diana TaurasiPHOLA88000690027.76
Taurasi should get all of the shots she can handle, especially if Sophie Cunningham is out. This should be the healthiest she is all season, which would make this the ideal time to play her.
Kelsey MitchellINDCON77000760028.05
Mitchell was eighth in the league in FPPG among guards last season. I don't know why she is so cheap on DraftKings. Aliyah Boston may cut into Mitchell's usage, but she might help Mitchell improve her efficiency. Mitchell is playable on FanDuel and a very nice value on DraftKings.

WNBA DFS Top Forwards

PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Nikolina MilicMINCHI43000420011.07
Milic averaged 0.94 fantasy points per minute last season as a rookie. If she can just maintain that production over 20+ minutes as a starter, she will provide fantastic value.
Elena Delle DonneWASNY104000850031.82
Elena Delle Donne averaged 36.8 fantasy points and 27.8 minutes in four games with 6+ days of rest. She says she is fully healthy, which means she could play 30+ minutes in this game. This could be your best chance to play her all season, even if we don't love the matchup.
Brionna JonesCONIND83000660023.62
Jones averaged a career-high 0.93 fppm in 2022 but averaged 5.5 fewer minutes per game than in 2021. With Jonquel Jones gone, Brionna Jones should top 30 mpg this season, which would be plenty at her price.
Alyssa ThomasCONIND108000860035.67
Thomas had the best season of her career in 2020, when Jonquel Jones sat out. With Jones moving to the New York Liberty in the offseason, the stage is set for Thomas to up her fantasy production yet again. It's not like we are getting a huge discount, but Thomas may be the safest player on the slate and she isn't the most expensive.
Michaela OnyenwerePHOLA3300037008.71
Sophie Cunningham is day-to-day with a knee injury, and that could open the door for Onyenwere to start her first game with her new team. Onyenwere would be a strong punt play as a starter and I would consider playing her off the bench as well.
PlayerTeamOpp.DK $DK FPPGFD $FD FPPG
Napheesa CollierMINCHI67000630014.35
Collier is the free space on the season-opening slate, especially on DraftKings. She averaged just 13.3 fantasy points in 22.7 minutes in four games last season after returning from maternity leave, but she has averaged at least 28.8 fantasy points in each of her three full WNBA seasons. With Sylvia Fowles gone, Collier has a chance to meet or exceed her 2020 production, when she averaged 35.6 fantasy points on just 20.7 percent usage.
Alanna SmithCHIMIN30000490012.14
Smith should start in the frontcourt next to Elizabeth Williams, and with Isabelle Harrison and Yi Yueru out, there is a good chance she leads the Sky in minutes Friday. You can pivot to Williams, especially on FanDuel, but Smith averaged 0.88 fppm last season and even if her efficiency takes a hit with added playing time, she could provide great value as a starter.
Aliyah BostonINDCON680005800 
This isn't a good matchup, and it could take some time for Boston to adjust to an offensive system that should be much different than what she was used to a South Carolina. That being said, Boston is probably Indiana's best player from day one and if that is the case, she is too cheap. Like Diamond Miller, this is an upside play, though it is hard to imagine Boston having the same downside.
Amanda Zahui B.WASNY58000520020.38
Zahui B. appears to be the favorite for the fifth-starter spot with Myisha Hines-Allen dealing with a knee injury. Zahui B. has averaged at least 0.83 fppm in all seven WNBA seasons and she should provide nice value if she starts.

WNBA DFS Core Plays May 19

DraftKings Core Plays
Top TierElena Delle Donne$10,400
Sabrina Ionescu$10,900
Mid TierNapheesa Collier$6,700
Kelsey Mitchell$7,700
Value TierAlanna Smith$3,000
Layshia Clarendon$3,000
   
FanDuel Core Plays
Top TierAlyssa Thomas$8,600
Kahleah Copper$7,500
Mid TierNapheesa Collier$6,300
DeWanna Bonner$6,100
Value TierLindsay Allen$3,500
Michaela Onyenwere$3,700
 

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