I don’t think it is hyperbole to say Friday’s slate hangs on one groin strain. Elena Delle Donne is questionable Friday, and her status likely spells the difference between a good game between two of the top teams in the WNBA and a blowout.

If Delle Donne is out, Washington will have to scramble for points and rebounds without its two best players. There are a lot of intriguing GPP plays who could pick up the slack, but they are even riskier because they are going up against a juggernaut in the Lynx. Outside of Krystal Thomas, I would have a hard time playing any of the Mystics in a cash lineup.

Even if Delle Donne plays, I am probably fading her. Minnesota is a tough matchup for everyone, especially bigs, and while Delle Donne is good enough to shrug off an injury and a tough matchup to have a big game, I don’t see any reason to take that risk.

Indiana has a questionable starter as well, and while Briann January has been inconsistent this season, she would open up a lot of minutes and shots to some cheap guards. If both Delle Donne and January are out, it would make it quite easy to go with a stars and scrubs lineup.

Two of the stars I like the most play for the Sparks. Nneka Ogwumike and Candace Parker are both coming off a poor shooting night Tuesday, but I expect them both to rebound against a Dallas team that has surrendered a ton of points.

The plan, as always, is to have a WNBA Playbook and Optimal Lineups whenever there are three or more WNBA games. You don’t have to wait long for the next Playbook, as we have three more games Saturday. I look forward to your feedback in the comments below, in the forum, or on Twitter. Good luck everybody.  

 

Player FanDuel Price Comments
Maya Moore, F, MIN $  7,000Just last season, the soon-to-be 28-year-old Moore averaged 19.3 ppg on 44.8 percent shooting. She is averaging 12.3 and shooting 31.6 percent from the field, and that can't possibly continue for much longer.
Tierra Ruffin-Pratt, G, WAS $  5,800Ruffin-Pratt was among the league leaders in rebounding through four games, but her totals dropped when Elena Delle Donne started grabbing double-doubles. Washington will need Ruffin-Pratt to crash the boards if they have any chance to keep the game close if EDD is out.
Krystal Thomas, F, WAS $  4,500Thomas played a season-high 29 minutes Tuesday, scoring 10 points to go with eight rebounds and three assists. He ceiling may not be all that high, but she has a chance at a double-double if Elena Delle Donne is out.
Ivory Latta, G, WAS $  3,500Latta leads the Mystics in offensive rating. The Mystics will likely need her shotmaking, and I think she can carry the offensive load for the day or two the way veterans Monique Curry and Cappie Pondexter did when their teams were missing stars.
Tianna Hawkins, F, WAS $  3,400Hawkins will probably be the most popular Washington player if Delle Donne is out, especially if she gets the start. She is averaging 8.0 points and 4.8 rebounds in 17.0 minutes per game. She could see 25+ minutes if Delle Donne is out. 
Crystal Langhorne, F, SEA $  5,300Langhorne has scored at least 17.4 fantasy points in every game this season, and there should be plenty of points to go around against Indiana.
Erica Wheeler, G, IND $  3,100Everyone will be on her if Briann January is out, but I will play her anyway. Wheeler played 42 minutes Tuesday after January injured her ankle, scoring a team-high 24 points on 7-16 shooting.
Shenise Johnson, G, IND $  4,800In her first game following a two-game absence, Johnson had 10 points, three rebounds and five assists in 32 minutes. Johnson had a game-high 24 points, eight rebounds and four assists in the Fever's first meeting with Seattle.
Breanna Stewart, F, SEA $  7,300Brittney Griner scored a career-high 38 points against the Fever Tuesday, and while Breanna Banana isn't exactly the same player as Griner, she is capable of having a big night. The Fever are allowing the most points in the WNBA this season.
Alysha Clark, F, SEA $  4,400Clark has scored at least 16 points in three consecutive games, beginning with a season-high 22 points against this same Fever team. She should be a safe cash play.
Sylvia Fowles, F, MIN $  9,000Fowles had 26 points in the first half against Seattle Saturday. Even if this game is a blowout, Sylvia Fowles is a virtual lock for 30+ fantasy points.
Candace Parker, F, LA $  8,500In five games this season, Parker has scored 37+ points three times and 25 or fewer the other two. Only Indiana has allowed more points this season than Dallas, and Dallas doesn't have anyone who can match up with Parker defensively.
Nneka Ogwumike, F, LA $  8,100Ogwumike had 20 points and 11 rebounds Tuesday despite going 5-17 from the field. She has scored 30+ fantasy points in five of her six games this season.
Odyssey Sims, G, LA $  4,500Outside of Parker and Ogwumike, Sims has the best chance to take advantage of Dallas's porous defense. Sims is playing in just her fourth game this season, and she could see an increase over her 22 minutes from Tuesday, when she was coming off an ankle injury.
Allisha Gray, G, DAL $  5,300I love when a player has a poor shooting night but still contributes, as Gray did with her 12-point, seven-rebound effort despite shooting 2-12 Tuesday against Washington. I expect her to shoot better, but she should be safe even if she has another off night.
Tiffany Mitchell, G, IND $  4,300I prefer Shenise Johnson, but Mitchell got the start Wednesday and had more points than Johnson. She is capable of getting hot from the outside and having a big game.
Karima Christmas-Kelly $  4,900Speaking of being capable of getting hot, Christmas-Kelly has topped 30 fantasy points twice this season, and not many guards in Friday's slate have that kind of upside.

 

POSFanDuel Cash$POSFanDuel GPP$
GErica Wheeler$3,100GTiffany Mitchell$4,300
GTierra Ruffin-Pratt$5,800GOdyssey Sims$4,500
GAllisha Gray$5,300GKarima Christmas-Kelly$4,900
FSylvia Fowles$9,000FCandace Parker$8,500
FMaya Moore$7,000FTianna Hawkins$3,400
FCrystal Langhorne$5,300FMaya Moore$7,000
FAlysha Clark$4,400FBreanna Stewart$7,300
      
 Total$39,900 Total$39,900
 Remaining$100 Remaining$100