WNBA DFS Playbook May 31: Courtney Vandersloot is a Huge Value
Tuesday’s four-game WNBA DFS slate features several interesting matchups. Chicago hosts Phoenix in a rematch of the 2021 WNBA Finals, which will pit Diamond DeShields against her former team. Indiana hosts Washington in a game that could be closer than the standings would indicate. Indiana is currently one game back of the last playoff spot but they are notably 3-3 when second overall pick NaLyssa Smith plays. The Sparks are coming off a big win at Minnesota Sunday but with Jordin Canada and Lexie Brown questionable, their guard rotation could be awfully thin. The top two teams in the league face off in the final game, with Las Vegas putting its six-game winning streak on the line against Connecticut. The Sun and Aces are second and fifth in the league in defensive rating and when you consider these are two of the deeper teams in the league, fantasy points could be at a premium.
WNBA DFS Playbook Top Guards
| Guards | ||||||
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Courtney Williams | CON | LV | 6900 | 19.21 | 5500 | 18.37 |
| Williams has averaged 25.7 fantasy points in the three games since Jasmine Thomas tore her ACL. Williams looks like a pretty nice value on DraftKings. | ||||||
| Chennedy Carter | LA | DAL | 5100 | 14.64 | 4500 | 16.64 |
| Carter finally got her first start of the season Sunday, and she should start again if Jordin Canada remains out. Fortunately, her price was set on DraftKings before Sunday's game, so we have a chance to get a really nice value if Canada and/or Lexie Brown are out. | ||||||
| Kahleah Copper | CHI | PHO | 6400 | 19.83 | 6200 | 18.80 |
| Copper is averaging exactly as many minutes as she did in 2021 but she is averaging 4.8 fewer fantasy points. I am confident she will return to the form she displayed the last two seasons and perhaps facing Phoenix will help get the 2021 Finals MVP's 2022 season on track. | ||||||
| Courtney Vandersloot | CHI | PHO | 9800 | 32.11 | 7700 | 31.50 |
| Phoenix has allowed the most fantasy points to guards this season, and Vandersloot has at least 35 fantasy points in four of her last five games. She looks like she is back to being the best point guard in the league but she isn't priced that way on FanDuel. | ||||||
| Ariel Atkins | WAS | IND | 7100 | 26.92 | 6500 | 26.76 |
| Atkins has never been particularly consistent for fantasy, and that has certainly been the case so far this season. That being said, her price does not match her fantasy production. She is $2100 cheaper than DeWanna Bonner on DK despite averaging the exact same number of fantasy points. The Fever are allowing the most points in the league this season and Atkins looks like a good bet to take advantage. | ||||||
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Allisha Gray | DAL | LA | 8800 | 28.5 | 7700 | 29.24 |
| Gray looks like the perfect GPP play, with five games of 33+ fantasy points and three with fewer than 20 fantasy points. The Sparks are 11th in fantasy points allowed to guards this season. | ||||||
| Katie Lou Samuelson | LA | DAL | 5200 | 16.2 | 4300 | 16.88 |
| She can't keep shooting 60 percent or better on threes, but Samuelson has at least 23.5 fantasy points in all three of her starts. Chennedy Carter is a better player but Samuelson is a better bet to play 30+ minutes. | ||||||
| Diamond DeShields | PHO | CHI | 7400 | 23.88 | 5900 | 25.86 |
| DeShields is awfully cheap for someone who has scored at least 37 fantasy points in each of her last two games. She needed 27 shots to score 23 points Sunday and she will almost certainly play fewer minutes if Shey Peddy and/or Sophie Cunningham are active. That being said, she is playing her former team for the first time and she will be a popular play if Peddy and Cunningham remain out. | ||||||
WNBA DFS Playbook Top Forwards
| Forwards | ||||||
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Elena Delle Donne | WAS | IND | 10400 | 33.79 | 8000 | 34.22 |
| In her two games with 4+ days of rest, Delle Donne is averaging 31.3 minutes and 40.4 fantasy points. In her other four games she has averaged 28.2 minutes and 31.2 fantasy points. So long as Washington continues to give her days off, I intend to only play her on 4+ days of rest. | ||||||
| NaLyssa Smith | IND | WAS | 7600 | 29.21 | 6500 | 27.42 |
| Smith scored 29.25 fantasy points in 25 minutes in her first game back from an ankle injury and her price dropped $800 on DK. She was playing 30+ minutes per game before her injury and I think she will get back to that sooner than later. She looks like a nice value despite the tough matchup. | ||||||
| Sam Thomas | PHO | CHI | 3000 | 1.92 | 3000 | 2.80 |
| If she keeps playing 15+ minutes, she has to fall into some fantasy points eventually. This is a bit of a shot in the dark, but at least she will play. That can't be said for other min-priced players. | ||||||
| Satou Sabally | DAL | LA | 6200 | 18.83 | 5500 | 17.63 |
| Sabally played 30 minutes and scored 27.5 fantasy points Thursday despite shooting under 40 percent for the third consecutive game. I would like Sabally better if she got her first start of the season but even off the bench you will be hard-pressed to find that kind of upside at her price. | ||||||
| Teaira McCowan | DAL | LA | 4100 | 7.07 | 4000 | 6.39 |
| McCowan was +7 in 14 minutes Thursday, the only Wing with a positive differential. Like Sabally, McCowan is better for fantasy if she starts. That being said, there is enough upside for more minutes and production that she is worth a shot even off the bench. | ||||||
| Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
| Nneka Ogwumike | LA | DAL | 10300 | 35.67 | 8800 | 35.01 |
| Ogwumike had a somewhat quiet game at Minnesota Sunday, but I expect her to bounce back against Dallas. Ogwumike has at least 29 fantasy points in eight of her 10 games this season. | ||||||
WNBA DFS Playbook Core Plays
| Draftkings Core Plays | ||
| Top Tier | Nneka Ogwumike | $10,300 |
| Allisha Gray | $8,800 | |
| Mid Tier | Ariel Atkins | $7,100 |
| Satou Sabally | $6,200 | |
| Value Tier | Chennedy Carter | $5,100 |
| Teaira McCowan | $4,100 | |
| Fanduel Core Plays | ||
| Top Tier | Courtney Vandersloot | $7,700 |
| Elena Delle Donne | $8,000 | |
| Mid Tier | NaLyssa Smith | $6,500 |
| Courtney Williams | $5,500 | |
| Value Tier | Chennedy Carter | $4,500 |
| Sam Thomas | $3,000 | |
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