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Justin Carter's top daily fantasy WNBA lineup picks for 5/20/24. Expert WNBA DFS advice for DraftKings and FanDuel.
While the WNBA often takes Monday off, the first Monday of the 2024 season actually features a pair of games. It's like bonus basketball, though the games both tip at the same time, so fans will have to choose which to tune in to.
The televised matchup finds the Fever hosting the Sun, but the more enticing one is the one you have to tune into League Pass or ESPN3 for, as the Storm—fresh off their first win of the season—head to New York to take on the undefeated Liberty.
In this article, I'll be providing you with some daily fantasy WNBA lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel. These lineup picks will range from elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. The slate locks on Monday, May 20, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. EDT. Want to talk more about the WNBA? I'm always available on X and always down to discuss women's basketball: @juscarts.
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WNBA DFS Picks: Forward
Alyssa Thomas (Connecticut Sun) at IND (DK: $11.3K, FD: $8.4K)
The Indiana Fever has not been a very good defensive team. Their 112.2 defensive rating is the worst in the league so far. Of course, that number might be a little inflated by playing the Sun and Liberty in their first three games, but, well...they get Connecticut again on Monday.
Alyssa Thomas had a triple-double in the first game against Indiana, scoring 13 points on 4-for-8 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds and 13 assists. She also added three steals. The only negative was that Thomas had seven turnovers in the contest, but she more than made up for it with the rest of her production. Indiana is likely going to have no answer for her on Monday night.
Ezi Magbegor (Seattle Storm) at NY (DK: $9.7K, FD: $6.7K)
The Storm were without Nneka Ogwumike on Sunday against the Mystics as she missed the contest with an ankle injury. While her status hasn't been announced yet for Monday's contest, I'd be a bit surprised to see the Storm throw her back on the floor just one day after she sat out.
Ezi Magbegor was cooking yesterday in the nation’s capital
15 pts on 62.5% TS, 14 rebounds, and 3 stocks. 1st double- double of the season and 14th of her career
Here she catches a pass from Loyd and immediately rises into her motion without hesitation pic.twitter.com/ptKNt7GWJC
— christan (no i), ß (@Snacks4Tweets) May 20, 2024
With Ogwumike sidelined, Ezi Magbegor had herself a big game, scoring 15 points on 5-for-10 shooting while adding 14 rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two blocks. The Liberty is a tougher matchup for her than the Mystics were, but there should still be plenty of rebounds available for Magbegor in this one.
Nyara Sabally (New York Liberty) vs. SEA (DK: $3.7K, FD: $3.5K)
Through three games, one notable issue for the Liberty has been bench depth, as the team has seemed to struggle to figure out who to play. Kayla Thornton, who was so valuable as the sixth player last year, is barely seeing the floor, for example.
Nyara Sabally showed some things on Saturday against the Fever, though. Playing a season-high 15 minutes, Sabally scored seven points on 3-for-4 shooting and pulled down five rebounds. She also added two steals and two blocks. Not huge numbers, but if Sabally is emerging as the team's third big, there's definitely value here.
WNBA DFS Picks: Guard
DeWanna Bonner (Connecticut Sun) at IND (DK: $9.8K, FD: $7.1K)
DeWanna Bonner has gotten off to a strong start to the 2024 season. The veteran moved into fifth on the all-time scoring list in the season opener against the Fever, scoring 20 points on 8-for-14 shooting in the 21-point win over Indiana.
dewanna bonner passed her ex-wife on the wnba's all-time leading scorer's list and then her fiance, her MVP-candidate teammate, got to talk about it on ESPN, there is nothing like women's sports
— Lindsay Gibbs (@linzsports) May 15, 2024
Then in the team's second game against Washington, Bonner proved it wasn't just the Fever's poor defense that allowed the 36-year-old to succeed. She scored 22 points on 9-for-19 shooting in that game while also adding six rebounds, one assist, and six steals. Those active hands could come into play against an Indiana team that sits fourth in the WNBA in turnovers per game.
DiJonai Carrington (Connecticut Sun) at IND (DK: $7.0K, FD: $5.5K)
In the season opener, DiJonai Carrington was all over Caitlin Clark defensively, and that strategy worked to really disrupt the rookie's game. For that reason, I expect we will see 30-plus minutes of Carrington once again as the primary defender on Clark.
But Carrington's value isn't only about her ability to defend Clark. After entering the league in 2021 and struggling with her scoring ability, Carrington has stepped up in that regard each season. We're just two games into 2024, so this number will likely come down, but Carrington's 18.5 points per game is a huge jump from the 8.3 per game she scored in 2023. A big part of that is that the Sun lost some key pieces in the backcourt this offseason and have had to give Carrington expanded minutes. She played 17.2 per game in 2023 and is up to 33.5 per game in 2024.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (New York Liberty) vs. SEA (DK: $7.4K, FD: $5.2K)
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton is the unsung hero of the Liberty. Between the former MVPs in Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones, the league's best shooter in Sabrina Ionescu, and arguably the best point guard in the last decade in Courtney Vandersloot, Laney-Hamilton can really slide under the radar.
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton just going to work. This is such a pro bucket: pic.twitter.com/k5QQEyTI90
— Lucas Kaplan (@LucasKaplan_) May 15, 2024
But with how much the Liberty are expected to rely on the starting five this year, Laney-Hamilton is set to have a huge season. Through three games, the former Most Improved Player is averaging 15.0 points per game as well as 3.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.0 steals. She's shooting 51.5% from the floor, taking advantage of the fact that with so many offensive threats all over the floor, defenses just can't afford to focus their attention on her, which has allowed her to thrive early on this year.
