RADIO
We're back with a three-game WNBA slate on Thursday night. Two games get us going at 7:00 p.m. EDT with the Lynx visiting the Sun and the Sky heading to New York to face the Liberty. Then, the Mystics and Mercury close the night out.
Last night, the Indiana Fever's struggles continued as an 85-83 loss to Seattle dropped them to 0-5. It looks like they're starting to figure out a few things, but the team is still not playing up to its full potential. They will, at some point, but Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark need to learn to play off each other.
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 Thursday, May 23, 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
Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty) vs. CHI (DK: $10.9K, FD: $9.2K)
Two-time WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart isn't quite playing at the level she did last year, as her three-point shot has been a little bit off to start the year. Maybe a meeting with a Chicago Sky team that allows opponents to shoot 36.4% from three, the fourth-highest mark in the league, could be a good chance for Stewie to fix that.
Overall, Stewart is averaging 19.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.8 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game this season. Her defensive contributions have been huge for New York's 4-0 start and have also been a huge help in fantasy, more than making up for the slight drop in her scoring from last season.
Aaliyah Edwards (Washington Mystics) at PHO (DK: $6.9K, FD: $5.0K)
After a bit of a quiet first two games of her WNBA career, the Mystics put rookie Aaliyah Edwards in the starting lineup for Game 3 against Seattle. She responded with a big night, scoring nine points and adding 11 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two blocks.
This find from Julie Vanloo to Aaliyah Edwards is just oh so pretty 🤝
WNBA Tip-Off presented by @CarMax pic.twitter.com/s2lsJ2T7JQ
— WNBA (@WNBA) May 19, 2024
She returned to the bench last time out against the Sparks, but still played 24 minutes and posted a strong stat line. Edwards was 5-for-7 for 10 points and added three rebounds, three steals, and two blocks. Edwards has brought a lot of energy to the floor for the Mystics and has already surpassed Myisha Hines-Allen in the rotation. She should thrive as the third big for this team.
Bridget Carleton (Minnesota Lynx) at CON (DK: $5.9K, FD: $4.7K) — listed at guard on FanDuel
This one is a little risky, but I liked what I saw out of Bridget Carleton in Minnesota's first two games. Despite her shot being off, she managed some solid stat lines, averaging 5.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.5 steals per contest.
What gives me hope that this is a breakout campaign for Carleton is her volume. She's attempted 4.5 three-pointers per game so far, up from 2.3 per game last year. In fact, everything is up for her right now, as her minutes have gone from 15.1 per game in 2023 to 28.0 per game this year.
Why I think this is risky is that it feels like there has to be a point where Diamond Miller, who has started both games for the Lynx but is averaging just 14.0 minutes per game, is on the floor more, and that would come at Carleton's expense. Still, the defensive contribution is enough to make her a DFS option on Thursday.
WNBA DFS Picks: Guard
Kahleah Copper (Phoenix Mercury) vs. WAS (DK: $10.5K, FD: $7.5K)
Well, the DraftKings pricing has caught up to Kahleah Copper's production, jumping from $8.5K last game to $10.5K this game. Even with that, I'm locked into playing Copper on Thursday night because of how well she's been playing this season.
Through three games, Copper is averaging 31.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. This Mercury system has been an ideal fit for her, and the fact that Diana Taurasi has ceded the scoring load to Copper has worked out well for her.
Kahleah Copper — a stunning 37 point performance 🔥
65% FG 📈
LEGEND ‼️
— Women’s Hoops Network (@WomensHoops_USA) May 22, 2024
As long as Brittney Griner is out, the Mercury will almost have to play small, never able to really effectively play two bigs because they don't have them. That's led to a lot of Rebecca Allen at the four, something that's perfect for spacing. Copper has taken advantage of that spacing.
DiJonai Carrington (Connecticut Sun) vs. MIN (DK: $8.5K, FD: $6.1K)
I don't know if it's fair to call this a breakout year for DiJonai Carrington, because she finished second in the Sixth Player of the Year voting last season. But in 2024, Carrington has taken a huge step forward as a scorer, averaging 17.0 points per contest through the first three games of the season.
A big part of that is because the team needs her smothering defense more than ever. While the Sun have an elite frontcourt, the team's backcourt has been shifting over the last few seasons. This year's starting guard duo of Carrington and Tyasha Harris combined to start zero games in 2023, but both provided encouraging moments off the Connecticut bench, giving the team confidence to increase both of their roles in 2024.
Julie Vanloo (Washington Mystics) at PHO (DK: $6.8K, FD: $5.1K)
With Brittney Sykes set to miss this game, Julie Vanloo is expected to get another start at point guard for the Mystics. The 31-year-old rookie has started the team's past two games, averaging 28.8 minutes per game in those two starts while scoring 8.5 points and dishing out 7.0 assists per game. Vanloo's scoring number is likely to fluctuate on a nightly basis, but the assist numbers should remain high no matter what until Sykes is back. I like this matchup against a Mercury team that allows the second-most points and fourth-most assists per contest.
