Welcome to the DFS Army WNBA Full Court Press! You have to start your research somewhere, and oftentimes going game by game and breaking down every matchup and its key players is the first step in our process. My name is Glen aka @DfsBlande on Twitter, make sure to give me a follow as I’ll occasionally make updates to the advice in the article. But, you’ll mostly find me in our VIP coaching forums where I provide detailed lineup maneuvers and answer all lineup questions. If you are not yet a member of the DFS Army, join now and use promo code Blande to get 20% off by clicking here. With that said, let’s get it started!
Ladies and Gentlemen, we are back!!! The WNBA season kicks off in the IMG Academy bubble tomorrow! As the schedule will have it, this season will be made up mainly of 3-game slates, a number which is appealing for all contest types. The Covid-19 season brings with it a lot of variation and intrigue for the teams, as it has affected a lot of rosters and limited the number of games to be played. That said, we are excited about kickoff and are here to provide you with your daily WNBA DFS fix. The opening day slate always brings with it challenges but this is especially so this time as there was no preseason. It will be difficult to tell what teams plan on doing, so take this into account and play accordingly. Without much ado, let’s dive into the slate!
WNBA FULL COURT PRESS
Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Seattle Storm @ New York Liberty
The Storm have escaped the pandemic unscathed. They are the most complete team and favorites to win it all this year. Sue Bird is back after missing all of last year to injury, as is Breanna Stewart. The team is at full strength and ready to get another title. The usual culprits will be leading in this game. Stewart, Natasha Howard, Bird, and Jewell Loyd all make for great plays here as they’ll have room to dominate offensively against a young Liberty team. Jordin Canada provides upside at low ownership coming off the bench, however her price could be problematic.
The Liberty lost a bunch of players this offseason including Tina Charles. This leaves them with a team full of young players and rookies. When Amanda Zahui B is one of the veterans on your team, you know you are a very young team. This is a spot where it won’t surprise anyone to see the Liberty get blown out. That said, they have been known to put up fierce fights in unwinnable situations and their coach isn’t scared of giving his starters massive minutes even in blowouts. The Liberty also have an ace up their sleeve; number 1 overall pick Sabrina Ionescu who was a beast throughout her college career. She brings a different dynamic to this Liberty team. The pairing of Ionescu and Zahui B has the potential to be deadly. Add in the all-around work ethic and hustle of Kia Nurse and the Liberty could surprise in this game. Kiah Stokes will get minutes as well to help shore up some of the defense. It would be a fun game to watch.
5-Star Play: Breanna Stewart, Natasha Howard, Amanda Zahui B, Sabrina Ionescu
4-Star Play: Kia Nurse, Sue Bird, Jewell Loyd
GPP Sleeper: Jordin Canada
Staying on top of starters are key to success in the WNBA just as is the case in the NBA. Having access to starting lineups and late breaking injury news is a must, making it important to be available before lock in other to factor in any late changes. The DFS Army provides rapid breaking news information on lineup changes and injury as they come up in the coaching forums. Don’t fail to take full advantage of this!
Los Angeles Sparks @ Phoenix Mercury
The Sparks are without two key players this season, Kristi Toliver and Chiney Ogwumike. This will make their efforts to win a championship that much harder. Factor in Candace Parker turning 34 and Derek Fisher’s poor use of her last season and there are some questions the Sparks need to answer. That said, this is shaping up to be a solid matchup (as most games between the Sparks and Mercury tend to be). Nneka Ogwumike and Parker will be the top options in this game for the Sparks, and as is usually the case one of them is almost guaranteed to go off big time. Which one it ends up being is always mysterious so make sure to get exposure to both. My lean here is towards Ogwumike. Chelsea Gray is one of the top guards in the league and is right in her prime. This matchup on paper is a great one for her, making her a solid cash/hybrid play on this slate. Rounding things up, Riquna Williams will slot into her role as a three-point shooter nicely here and makes for an interesting GPP option at low ownership.
The 2020 Mercury will look very different from the 2019 version. They lost Briann January and DeWanna Bonner but brought in Skylar Diggins-Smith (SDS) and Bria Hartley among others. The loss of Bonner is going to hurt given what she did last year. The Mercury will be weaker on the defensive side of things this season. That said, SDS is a huge addition and the partnership between her and Brittney Griner will be one to watch throughout the season. Their pick and roll action will be terrific. The Mercury get a tough first game, putting the onus on SDS and Griner to quickly start performing. Hartley got a mega-contract this offseason from the Mercury and will be required to perform immediately, making her a solid option on this team and slate. Diana Taurasi is 38 years old and is slowing down. After missing a good chunk of last season there are questions as to what version of her we see this season. She has the potential to be a deadly offensive option and remains a solid GPP option whenever she takes to the court.
5-Star Play: Brittney Griner, Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Candace Parker
4-Star Play: Chelsea Gray, Diana Taurasi, Bria Hartley
Deep Value: Riquna Williams
GPP Sleeper: Brittney Sykes
Indiana Fever @ Washington Mystics
The Fever are looking to build upon their 2019 season. While they didn’t lose any important piece during the offseason, they’ll have to deal with some missing pieces for a few games in Erica Wheeler and Lauren Cox. The Fever got a new coach coming over from the Mystics and bringing with her the 3-ball offense. This should be a fun team to watch. Teaira McCowan will continue to improve on what was an amazing rookie season with very little distractions. In this matchup, she makes for an excellent option on the slate. Victoria Vivians returns to the team after missing last season due to injury. The focus on the 3-ball suits her game and makes her a terrific option for the Fever. Kelsey Mitchell had an amazing season last year and the Fever will need her to keep it up either in the point guard role or at the 2. Her ability to create her own shot and shoot the 3 makes her a formidable option on any slate. With Wheeler out, Kathleen Doyle or Julie Allemand stand to benefit greatly, whoever starts. Finally, Candice Dupree remains a viable option in GPPs even as she gets slower as she ages.
The Mystics are the defending champions, but the team they’ll roll out this season will feature just one starter from their championship-winning side. Natasha Cloud, Kristi Toliver, LaToya Sanders, Elena Delle Donne, and new addition Tina Charles are all out this season. This is now Emma Meesseman’s team. She is a beast as she has shown while playing off the bench in previous seasons. This year she’ll be called upon to fill the EDD role on the team. I expect her to put up a lot of shots this season. She is basically a free square on FD on this slate due to the mispricing, lock her in. On DK, it is a little more difficult as she is the most expensive option. Ariel Atkins is the only returning starter for the Mystics, and she’ll be called upon to be the prototypical 3 and D players for this team. Leilani Mitchell will get all the point guard minutes she can handle here. However, at 34 she is getting old. That said, she had a good season last year and can perform in this matchup. Aerial Powers and Tianna Hawkins round up the starting lineup for the Mystics and both make for excellent GPP options on the slate, especially on FD where they are underpriced.
5-Star Plays: Emma Meesseman, Teaira McCowan
4-Star Plays: Kelsey Mitchell, Aerial Powers, Tianna Hawkins, Victoria Vivians
Deep Value: Kathleen Doyle
GPP Sleeper: Candice Dupree
As always I appreciate everyone who gave the article a read! Feel free to mix it up with me in our coaching forums as news breaks and lock approaches.
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