It is crazy how an injury to one player who isn't even an All-Star can affect an entire DFS slate. In this case, I am referring, of course, to Natasha Cloud. Cloud will miss Thursday's game due to a concussion, and that absence could provide a fantasy boost to almost all of the Washington starters. Elena Delle Donne, Kristi Toliver and Ariel Atkins could all have the ball in their hands a bit more often with Cloud out, while Atkins could also get some more minutes. Most of Cloud's minutes will presumably go to whoever replaces her in the starting lineup, though somebody like Tayler Hall could see significantly more minutes even if she still comes off the bench. It is always important to check the starting lineups once they are announced, but it will be especially important to see who starts in place of Cloud Thursday.
| Player | FanDuel Price | DraftKings Price | Comments |
| Brittney Griner, F, PHO | $ 8,700 | $ 12,100 | In two games against Las Vegas this season, Griner is averaging 21.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 6.5 blocks. |
| Elena Delle Donne, G, WAS | $ 8,500 | $ 13,100 | She has been the safest player in the WNBA for most of the summer, and Natasha Cloud's injury should mean EDD will have the ball in her hands even more than usual. |
| Tina Charles, F, NY | $ 8,200 | $ 12,000 | No team has allowed more fantasy points to opposing forwards than the Dream. In her only game against Atlanta this season, Tina Charles had 29 points, eight rebounds and three assists. |
| Diana Taurasi, G, PHO | $ 8,000 | $ 11,800 | Taurasi is averaging 26.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists against Las Vegas despite shooting 36.8 percent from the field and 32.1 percent on threes. |
| DeWanna Bonner, G, PHO | $ 7,700 | $ 10,600 | Bonner is averaging 13.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assist and 1.5 steals against the Aces this season. She has scored at least 30 fantasy points on DraftKings in seven of her last eight games. |
| Elizabeth Williams, F, ATL | $ 6,500 | $ 7,300 | Williams has played at least 30 minutes in three of her last four games, and she played 32 minutes against New York earlier this season. She should be pretty safe for cash lineups. |
| Azura Stevens, F, DAL | $ 6,300 | $ 5,600 | Stevens's price is down on DraftKings after she has gone 3-12 combined over her last two games after shooting 5-11 and 6-14 in her two games before that. |
| Kristi Toliver, G, WAS | $ 6,100 | $ 8,600 | I have long considered Toliver a GPP play, but she has been far more consistent of late, with at least five assists in each of her last four games. I suspect she will keep that streak going with Natasha Cloud out. |
| LaToya Sanders, F, WAS | $ 6,000 | $ 8,000 | Sanders has been a solid play for the better part of the last month, but her price is still pretty modest on FanDuel. She is averaging 13.0 points and 8.0 rebounds over her last two games. |
| Ariel Atkins, G, WAS | $ 5,300 | $ 7,100 | Atkins is averaging 16.3 ppg with Natasha Cloud out this season. She should get a few more minutes and shots with Cloud out, making her much safer than she has been of late. |
| Kelsey Plum, G, LAV | $ 5,100 | $ 5,700 | Mitchell's price is down significantly thanks to her 31.3 percent shooting over her last two games. Her playing time hasn't taken a hit with Moriah Jefferson back, and she is averaging 9.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists in two games against Phoenix this season. |
| Allisha Gray, G, DAL | $ 4,900 | $ 6,800 | Gray has been a solid cash play all season, and she has been better at home as well. |
| Camille Little, F, PHO | $ 3,900 | $ 4,800 | Little has played 20+ minutes in three of her last four games, and she is averaging 20.0 minutes per game against Las Vegas even though Sancho Lyttle played in both of those games. She should be pretty safe, and you can't argue with her price. |
| Tierra Ruffin-Pratt, G, WAS | $ 3,700 | $ 3,300 | Tierra Ruffin-Pratt started all three games Natasha Cloud has missed this season, averaging 11.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists in those games. She is a cash play if she starts. |
| Tayler Hill, G, WAS | $ 3,000 | $ 3,100 | The Mystics have been awfully conservative with Hill since she returned from her torn ACL, but she has an excellent chance to top 20 minutes for the first time this season. Hill averaged 13.3 ppg in 25.6 minutes last season, and I'm rooting for her to get the start Thursday. |