PHOENIX, AZ - AUGUST 16: DeWanna Bonner #24 of the Phoenix Mercury runs out onto the court before the WNBA game the against the Los Angeles Sparks at US Airways Center on August 16, 2014 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The first month of the WNBA season is coming to a close and the final day of May 2019 offers three games for daily fantasy players to fill their rosters with players participating in.
How Does WNBA DFS work?
Fanduel WNBA daily fantasy games, which are the official fantasy games of the league, require players to select three backcourt and four frontcourt players, listed in the gallery of players on the teams in action on a given night as either forwards or guards. Fantasy team managers are given a budget to spend on their entire roster and each player is assigned a monetary value based on previous performances and expectations for the night’s games. The more productive a player should be, the more expensive she is to own. When the real players collect statistics in the actual games, points are earned for fantasy team managers who selected those players. To win the fantasy games, the team managers’ point totals after all real games have been played must be among the highest in the pool of all the managers who entered into the contest.
All players are expected to be in action and play significant minutes if not start for their teams on Friday, May 31. Fantasy team managers need to check lineups before the fantasy contests lock to make sure they don’t have a player on their roster who is injured or is not going to play for some other reason. The monetary figures after the players’ names are their cost for owning on FanDuel on Friday, May 31.
WNBA Schedule for Friday, May 31
All times listed are Eastern and games can be streamed live on platforms that offer access to CBS Sports Network and ESPN’s family of channels like YouTube TV and ESPN+.
Seattle Storm at Atlanta Fever, 7:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network
Las Vegas Aces at Phoenix Mercury, 10 p.m., ESPN2
Connecticut Sun at Los Angeles Sparks, 10:30 p.m., ESPN3
Injury Updates for Friday, May 31
Game-time decisions:
Alysha Clark, forward, Seattle Storm-rest
Camille Little, forward, Phoenix Mercury-ankle
Out:
Sue Bird, guard, Seattle Storm-knee
Angel McCoughtry, forward, Atlanta Dream-knee
Candace Parker, forward, Los Angeles Sparks-hamstring
Breanna Stewart, forward, Seattle Storm-Achilles tendon
Diana Taurasi, guard, Phoenix Mercury-back
Four Guards to Consider for Friday, May 31
DeWanna Bonner, Phoenix Mercury, $8,400 – One of the big reasons Phoenix is a title contender in 2019 is Bonner. In the season opener, she compiled over 52 fantasy points by scoring 31 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals. While she may not top 30 points again on Friday in the Mercury’s home opener contending with the next player on this list, the need for Bonner to contribute is apparent with Taurasi sidelined.
Kayla McBride, Las Vegas Aces, $7,200 – In the home and season opener McBride shot over 60 percent from the field en route to almost 30 fantasy points guiding Las Vegas to a victory. The performance was no outlier as in 2018 she averaged 18.2 points on almost 45 percent shooting from the field. Her chances to score might be diminished by the introduction of Liz Cambage into the Aces’ lineup but that also means she has more opportunity to pad her assist total as well.
Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm, $7,100 – With two games of the 2019 season on her game log she has scored in double figures both times, although her shooting percentage in Seattle’s first road game of the season left much to be desired. If she can reproduce her 15-point, four-rebound performance she is averaging on the season so far she is definitely worth this price.
Courtney Williams, Connecticut Sun, $6,900 – Two games into 2019 she is averaging 25.4 fantasy points. Friday night in Los Angeles she will have an opportunity to push her season scoring average into double figures to go with her averages of 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists. If she can do that, she’s a steal at this price.
Five Forwards to Consider for Friday, May 31
Liz Cambage, Las Vegas Aces, $8,300 – The 2018 league scoring leader will make her debut with her new team on Friday and she might be even more dangerous for opponents with her supporting cast including McBride. She’s expensive but the question fantasy team owners should ask is can they afford not to roster her?
Natasha Howard, Seattle Storm, $8,000 – It would have been difficult for her to replicate her performance from the season-opener in which she compiled almost 65 fantasy points, but her second game was nothing to dismiss. Between the two she’s averaging almost 45 points per game and fantasy team owners should continue to expect her to remain a focal point of Seattle’s offense with Stewart out for the season.
Jonquel Jones, Connecticut Sun, $7,800 – Jones has been amazing so far this season, shooting almost 55 percent from the field and averaging 11 rebounds per game as the centerpiece of Connecticut’s offense. There’s still room for her fantasy production to grow too, as she is one of the most effective shooters from the perimeter at her position. Even at this price, she may be undervalued.
Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles Sparks, $7,400 – Ogwumike is coming off a double-double performance and the opportunity is golden for her as Parker is still out and Sparks forward Maria Vadeeva has returned to her native Russia to play for that national team. The 30 fantasy points she is averaging so far this season are a good bet to be replicated.
Chiney Ogwumike, Los Angeles Sparks, $6,200 – Also benefitting from the absences of Parker and Vadeeva is Nneka’s sister Chiney. As long as both are unavailable Ogwumike will continue to start and get significant minutes. She put up 15.2 fantasy points in the season opener in Las Vegas contending with the likes of A’ja Wilson. At this price, on Friday night she could represent great value.
Friday night’s slate of games features the most talented players in the league vying for some of the league’s top teams. Fans and fantasy players alike should enjoy the action.