WNBA DFS Playbook May 21: Top DraftKings & FanDuel WNBA DFS Picks
The 2023 WNBA season, as is the WNBA DFS Playbook, is off to a flying start. We nailed our top-tier picks in Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper and got solid value in the mid-tier with Napheesa Collier, Kelsey Mitchell and DeWanna Bonner. The Value Tier was more hit-or-miss, though Alanna Smith going 5-for-5 off the bench certainly helped. Sunday’s WNBA slate features six teams that all played Friday, but the prices are drastically different. Barring some surprise lineup changes, we aren’t getting anymore cheap starters on either site. There are a couple of bench players who played 20+ minutes Friday and could provide decent value, but I think we are mostly going to be shopping in the mid-tier Sunday. A lot of the value in the mid-tier comes from good players who shot the ball poorly Friday. I would much rather pay for someone who I know will get minutes and shots and hope that those shots fall rather than hoping Alanna Smith will score 1.64 fantasy points per minute for a second straight game. With so few value plays it will be especially important to keep up with lineup news before each game tips. A lot of lineups could swing on whether or not Sophie Cunningham starts in the late game, for instance. Let’s dive in to Sunday’s WNBA DFS top picks & plays on DraftKings and FanDuel to help us build our winning daily fantasy lineups.
WNBA DFS Picks May 21
| WNBA DFS Top Guards | ||||||
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Maya Caldwell | IND | NY | 4800 | 12 | ### | 11.90 |
| Caldwell was just 1-for-5 from the field Friday but she still played 24 minutes with three assists and two rebounds. If she plays similar minutes Sunday, she should provide nice fantasy value. | ||||||
| DeWanna Bonner | CON | WAS | 9200 | 31.25 | ### | 31.40 |
| Bonner's matchup is not as good as it was on Friday, but she isn't likely to shoot 17 percent on threes Sunday, either. Her minutes an usage are as safe as can be and she is too cheap on FanDuel. | ||||||
| Kelsey Mitchell | IND | NY | 8600 | 33 | ### | 31.40 |
| Mithcell was obviously underpriced on DraftKings Friday and while that has been rectified to some degree, she is still pretty obviously better than all of the players who cost less and she is safer than some of the players who cost more. I'll probably pay up for more upside if I can but Mitchell is a nice cash play at the very least. | ||||||
| Diana Taurasi | PHO | CHI | 9700 | 30.25 | ### | 26.90 |
| Taurasi shot about as poorly as she possibly could Friday and still finished with a respectable fantasy total. She should get plenty of open looks against Chicago and I expect her to knock more of them down. | ||||||
| Sug Sutton | PHO | CHI | 6000 | 19.75 | ### | 19.10 |
| Sutton is riskier if Sophie Cunningham returns, but Cunningham should mostly take Michaela Onyenwere's minutes. Sutton played 20+ minutes and had 10 field goal attempts Friday and she remains pretty cheap on FanDuel. | ||||||
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Natisha Hiedeman | CON | WAS | 7300 | 18.25 | ### | 16.60 |
| I think Hiedeman is miscast as a starting point guard but so long as she plays 30+ minutes and takes 10+ shots, I'm not sure we should care. She won't always shoot 20 percent from the field, which gives her plenty of upside. | ||||||
| Kahleah Copper | CHI | PHO | 9800 | 40.25 | ### | 39.90 |
| This matchup isn't quite as good for Copper as Friday's against Minnesota, but I'm not super concerned considering she was WNBA Finals MVP against Phoenix just two years ago. She wasn't even super efficient Friday but her usage was through the roof, and that should continue. | ||||||
| Evina Westbrook | PHO | CHI | 3600 | 4.25 | ### | 4.20 |
| Westbrook is only in play if Sophie Cunningham is out again. Westbrook played 19 minutes Friday and even though she didn't do anything with those minutes, I'll gladly chase the playing time at her price. | ||||||
| Sophie Cunningham | PHO | CHI | 9000 | 0 | ### | 22.57 |
| There is some risk that Cunningham is limited by the knee injury that kept her out Friday but if she starts, she is too cheap on FanDuel. I'll let someone else chase her fantasy production on DraftKings but I don't know how you stay away considering her FanDuel price. | ||||||
| WNBA DFS Top Forwards | ||||||
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Breanna Stewart | NY | IND | #### | 35 | ### | 32.90 |
| We survived fading Stewart on Friday in part thanks to her 3-10 shooting from the field. She should shoot more often and more accurately in this game, and while I'm a bit concerned she will only play 25 minutes if this game is a blowout, Stewart is too cheap on FanDuel. | ||||||
| Shakira Austin | WAS | CON | 7600 | 15.75 | ### | 16.10 |
| Austin was pretty clearly overpriced on Friday but after she struggled Friday the pendulum has swung too far the other way. Austin played 25 minutes despite foul trouble, and she averaged 0.89 fantasy points per minute last year as a rookie. She should play at least 25 minutes Sunday and if she can just match last year's production she will be a nice fantasy play, especially on FanDuel. | ||||||
| Brionna Jones | CON | WAS | 8500 | 30.25 | ### | 32.80 |
| One of the reasons I liked Jones Friday is that she would get more minutes with Jonquel Jones gone. Brionna Jones played just 26 minutes Friday due to foul trouble but she still topped 30 fantasy points. If she tops 30 minutes Sunday she has a chance to be a solid value once again. | ||||||
| Alyssa Thomas | CON | WAS | #### | 49.75 | ### | 50.20 |
| There was a reason Alyssa Thomas was my favorite top-tier play Friday and after the way she delivered, I see no reason to waiver from that. She led the Sun in minutes, field goal attempts, free throws, rebounds, and assists Friday. | ||||||
| Elizabeth Williams | CHI | PHO | 7700 | 33 | ### | 36.20 |
| Williams probably won't shoot 7-9 from the field again but she probably won't get held to just six rebounds, either. I don't love the matchup with Brittney Griner but she is too cheap for a starting center in this league. | ||||||
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Morgan Bertsch | CHI | PHO | 6300 | 17.5 | ### | 18.40 |
| Bertsch was outshined by Alanna Smith but Bertsch started the game and they both played 20 minutes. If she starts again, Bertsch could be a nice value. | ||||||
| NaLyssa Smith | IND | NY | 8200 | 16.25 | ### | 13.30 |
| Smith struggled Friday night with five turnovers and four fouls but she still finished second on the team with 11 field goal attempts. She's cheaper than Aliyah Boston on both sites and I'm not sure she should be. | ||||||
WNBA DFS Core Plays May 21
| Draftkings Core Plays | ||
| Top Tier | Alyssa Thomas | $11,100 |
| Kahleah Copper | $9,800 | |
| Mid Tier | Kelsey Mitchell | $8,600 |
| Brionna Jones | $7,100 | |
| Value Tier | Maya Caldwell | $4,800 |
| Evina Westbrook | $3,600 | |
| Fanduel Core Plays | ||
| Top Tier | Breanna Stewart | $8,400 |
| DeWanna Bonner | $6,700 | |
| Mid Tier | Natisha Hiedeman | $5,800 |
| Shakira Austin | $5,600 | |
| Value Tier | Sug Sutton | $4,300 |
| Morgan Bertsch | $4,800 | |
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