I think the hardest part of constructing my example lineups for this edition of the WNBA DFS Playbook was not including A’ja Wilson, Alyssa Thomas and Diana Taurasi in every single one. All three have been great for fantasy all season, and it’s actually relatively easy to fit them all into lineups. To do so, you have to save money at the guard spots, but outside of Taurasi, there aren’t really any guards I want to pay up for. There are, however, some alternatives to Wilson and Thomas if you are feeling adventurous with your tournament lineups. In tournaments, fading Wilson and/or Thomas is probably a smart strategy, but I would be lying if I said I felt good about it.
Guards |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Shatori Walker-Kimbrough | PHO | LV | 4800 | 11.72 | 4900 | 11.88 |
On the one hand, it was a bit disappointing to see Shatori Walker-Kimbrough only play 19 minutes Sunday with Bria Hartley out. On the other hand, her production was fine in a tough matchup against Minnesota. She remains cheaper on DraftKings, and she is still averaging 19.3 fppg as a starter this season. Her ceiling is quite a bit higher than that, assuming she starts again. |
Shey Peddy | PHO | LV | 3300 | 9.57 | 3800 | 9.99 |
Peddy had season-highs with 26.5 FD fantasy points in 22 minutes Sunday with Bria Hartley out. I don't necessarily expect a repeat Tuesday, but she is cheap enough, especially on DraftKings, that you don't need the same production for her to return value. |
Diana Taurasi | PHO | LV | 9700 | 35.36 | 7000 | 33.78 |
Taurasi has at least 32 fantasy points in nine of her last 10 games. She has been great since returning from a back injury, and she is the top guard play of the slate, if you can afford her. |
Chennedy Carter | ATL | IND | 7300 | 25.62 | 5400 | 24.71 |
Carter remains too cheap on FanDuel. She scored 26 points in 26 minutes Sunday and her price dropped $700 on DraftKings. Carter had played 31+ minutes in three straight games before her injury, and if she gets back to that Tuesday, she could easily outperform her price again. |
Tiffany Mitchell | IND | ATL | 7800 | 24.29 | 5200 | 23.23 |
Mitchell was not good in her first game back from injury, with 13 points and seven turnovers in 29 minutes. That being said, she had scored 21.1 fantasy points in six consecutive games prior to the injury, and we know the playing time is safe. |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Julie Allemand | IND | ATL | 8300 | 25.18 | 5700 | 24.61 |
No team has allowed more points to opposing guards than the Dream, and Allemand has at least 23 fantasy points in six consecutive games. Tiffany Mitchell may be a better value, but Allemand is the safest way into Indiana's backcourt. |
Kamiah Smalls | IND | ATL | 3000 | 0 | 3000 | 0.00 |
Smalls was great in her Indiana debut, scoring 22.5 fantasy points in 17 minutes on 4-4 shooting. She may not play 17 minutes again if Tiffany Mitchell plays better and the game stays close, but at her price, she's worth a shot. |
Forwards |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Brianna Turner | PHO | LV | 8500 | 22.97 | 6700 | 24.22 |
Turner is averaging 34.6 fantasy points in 33.3 minutes in four games with Brittney Griner out. This may be your last opportunity to get her at something of a discount. It doesn't hurt that Las Vegas are ninth in fantasy points allowed to forwards. |
Kia Vaughn | PHO | LV | 8300 | 11.05 | 5800 | 11.00 |
Vaughn didn't do much statistically against Minnesota, but she did top 27 minutes for the third consecutive game. She is averaging 24.6 FD fantasy points with Brittney Griner out, and I like her chances of topping that total Tuesday. |
Natalie Achonwa | IND | ATL | 7400 | 18.18 | 5400 | 17.93 |
Achonwa has been remarkably consistent the last two weeks, toppingi 22.4 fantasy points on FanDuel in five consecutive games. |
Kiah Stokes | NY | CON | 7500 | 19.07 | 5000 | 18.87 |
Stokes is averaging 27 fantasy points in her last four games, and her price is still pretty reasonable. She has been up-and-down all season, but it seems like she has finally settled into her role on this team. |
Brionna Jones | CON | NY | 7300 | 23.15 | 5200 | 23.95 |
Jones is expected to play after missing Sunday with an ankle injury. She has topped 20 fantasy points in five of her last six games, though there is a chance she will lose some minutes to Essence Carson after Carson had her best game of the season Sunday. |
Player | Team | Opp. | DK $ | DK FPPG | FD $ | FD FPPG |
Alyssa Thomas | CON | NY | 10000 | 36.62 | 7800 | 36.27 |
New York is 10th in fantasy points allowed to fowards, and Thomas has scored at least 32 fantasy points in eight of her last nine games. She is super safe, and a fine alternative if you cannot afford A'ja Wilson. |
A'ja Wilson | LV | PHO | 11000 | 39.27 | 8200 | 40.47 |
Wilson has topped 30 fantasy points in every game this season, and she is averaging 45 fantasy points in her last three games. She hasn't even shot the ball particularly well in that stretch, which shows you just how good she is for fantasy. |
Amanda Zahui B | NY | CON | 9400 | 28.97 | 6800 | 28.45 |
I don't necessarily expect Amanda Zahui B to top 39 fantasy points for a third consecutive game, though I do find it encouraging she only shot 2-11 from the field in her last game. She has double-digit shot attempts and rebounds in three straight games, and if she can keep that going and knock down a few more shots, she could be a great GPP play. |
As always, the lineups below are examples of lineups you can make using the players in the Playbook and are not for plug and play.
DK Cash | Pivot | DK Pivot Cash |
Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
G | Chennedy Carter | ATL | IND | 25.62 | $7,300 | To | G | Julie Allemand | IND | ATL | 25.18 | $8,300 |
G | Shey Peddy | PHO | @LAV | 9.57 | $3,300 | | G | | | | | |
F | Brianna Turner | PHO | @LAV | 22.97 | $8,500 | To | F | Natalie Achonwa | IND | ATL | 18.18 | $7,400 |
F | A'ja Wilson | LAV | PHO | 39.27 | $11,000 | | F | | | | | |
F | Alyssa Thomas | CON | @NY | 36.62 | $10,000 | | F | | | | | |
Util | Diana Taurasi | PHO | @LAV | 35.36 | $9,700 | | Util | | | | | |
| | | | Total | $49,800 | | | | | | Total | $15,700 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
DK GPP | Pivot | DK Pivot GPP |
Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | Pos. | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
G | Shatori Walker-Kimbrough | PHO | @LAV | 11.72 | $4,800 | To | G | Shey Peddy | PHO | @LAV | 9.57 | $3,300 |
G | Tiffany Mitchell | IND | @ATL | 24.29 | $7,800 | | G | | | | | |
F | Dearica Hamby | LAV | PHO | 28.32 | $9,000 | | F | | | | | |
F | Brianna Turner | PHO | @LAV | 22.97 | $8,500 | | F | | | | | |
F | Alyssa Thomas | CON | @NY | 36.62 | $10,000 | To | F | A'ja Wilson | LAV | PHO | 39.27 | $11,000 |
Util | Amanda Zahui B | NY | CON | 28.97 | $9,400 | | Util | | | | | |
| | | | Total | $49,500 | | | | | | Total | $14,300 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
FD Cash | Pivot | FD Pivot Cash |
Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
G | Shey Peddy | PHO | LV | 9.99 | $3,800 | | G | | | | | |
G | Tiffany Mitchell | IND | ATL | 23.23 | $5,200 | | G | | | | | |
G | Julie Allemand | IND | ATL | 24.61 | $5,700 | To | G | Chennedy Carter | ATL | IND | 24.71 | $5,400 |
F | Natalie Achonwa | IND | ATL | 17.93 | $5,400 | | F | | | | | |
F | Brionna Jones | CON | NY | 23.95 | $5,200 | | F | | | | | |
F | Alyssa Thomas | CON | NY | 36.27 | $7,800 | To | F | A'ja Wilson | LV | PHO | 40.47 | $8,200 |
F | Brianna Turner | PHO | LV | 24.22 | $6,700 | | F | | | | | |
| | | | Total | $39,800 | | | | | | Total | $13,600 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
FD GPP | Pivot | FD Pivot GPP |
Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary | | Pos | Player | Team | Opp | FPPG | Salary |
G | Kamiah Smalls | IND | ATL | 0.00 | $3,000 | | G | | | | | |
G | Shey Peddy | PHO | LV | 9.99 | $3,800 | | G | | | | | |
G | Chennedy Carter | ATL | IND | 24.71 | $5,400 | To | G | Tiffany Mitchell | IND | ATL | 23.23 | $5,200 |
F | Alyssa Thomas | CON | NY | 36.27 | $7,800 | | F | | | | | |
F | Brianna Turner | PHO | LV | 24.22 | $6,700 | | F | | | | | |
F | A'ja Wilson | LV | PHO | 40.47 | $8,200 | | F | | | | | |
F | Kiah Stokes | NY | CON | 18.87 | $5,000 | To | F | Brionna Jones | CON | NY | 23.95 | $5,200 |
| | | | Total | $39,900 | | | | | | Total | $10,400 |