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Justin Carter's top daily fantasy WNBA lineup picks for 8/18/20. Expert WNBA DFS advice, sleepers & player recommendations for DraftKings and FanDuel.
For the first time in two weeks, we had a day off in the WNBA, but it wasn't a day off from things happening. Indiana announced Victoria Vivians had left the bubble due to injury and signed Alisia Jenkins. Connecticut signed Essence Carson and waived Jacki Gemelos, which was only possible because Washington had moved on from Carson on Sunday to sign rookie Sug Sutton. Washington also waived Shey Peddy, and the Aces closed out a day of transactions by waiving Megan Huff.
In this article, I'll be providing you with some daily fantasy WNBA lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 8/18/20. These lineups picks will range from elite players to mid-priced options and value plays.
Want to talk more about the WNBA? I'm always available on Twitter and always down to discuss women's basketball: @juscarts
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WNBA - DFS Guards
DeWanna Bonner (G, Connecticut Sun) – vs Indiana Fever (DK: $10,600, FD: $8,200)
The Fever have the second-worst defensive rating in the WNBA, and while Bonner has slowed some from her other-worldly start, but she remains one of the highest-volume shooters in the league, with 13 or more attempts in five straight. Her efficiency is starting to crumble, as she's hit under 40 percent in the last four games and over the last seven games is 3-for-25 from three, but she's still providing god rebounding numbers and, before not getting a single steal against Seattle, had five straight games with at least three steals.
The question here is can she take advantage of a porous Fever defense and get back to producing the points like she was early in the year. It's not a safe bet, but Indiana's been bad enough on that end that I think I'll go with that upside.
Jordin Canada (G, Seattle Storm) – vs New York Liberty (DK: $7,000, FD: $5,800)
Though she might count as a high-priced option on FanDuel, Canada's DraftKings price heading into a meeting with the Liberty is too good a value to pass up.
Sue Bird is back, but Canada is still getting around 20 minutes per game even with Bird's return. Her assist numbers are down, as are her scoring numbers, but her rebounds are up and she should be able to force a few steals away against New York, the league's most turnover-prone team.
Look, Canada's production has definitely fallen off since Bird came back, but you have to factor in the matchup. New York's offense has been terrible. This is the kind of game that can get out of hand, which likely means less Sue Bird in the second half and more chances for Canada. Live life on the edge.
Diamond DeShields (G, Chicago Sky) – vs Las Vegas Aces (DK: $5,800, FD: $5,100)
Another platform specific cheap play due to her DraftKings pricing, DeShields entered 2020 as a sleeper MVP pick and has done nothing. She's clearly not been 100 percent healthy, which has had a big impact, but it's also really hard to ignore a player with DeShields' upside at this price.
It's pretty wild that DeShields has just two games with double-digit points. But she's coming off a solid performance against Atlanta, finishing with three rebounds and four assists along with eight points.
DeShields is basically a punt on DraftKings. You build a lineup with high-priced players, and then you fill that final spot with a cheap player with upside. If she hits, you can win big. If she doesn't, the rest of your line should produce enough to still get you into the green.
If you want a cheap FanDuel play, Sami Whitcomb ($4,500) has been playing some really great basketball lately for Seattle.
WNBA - DFS Forwards
A'ja Wilson (F, Las Vegas Aces) – vs Chicago Sky (DK: $11,000 FD: $7,700)
Chicago allows the fourth-most paint points per game. Wilson is tied for second in the league in non-restricted area paint points per game, and is ninth in restricted area points. Factor in her increasingly strong mid-range game, and it's hard to see Chicago slowing her down in this one. She's coming off a fairly poor game against Washington in which she scored just 12 points on 4-for-13 shooting, but she's had 20-plus points six times, including 22 against Chicago in the opener in a game where she also grabbed 11 rebounds and had three assists.
Brionna Jones (F, Connecticut Sun) – vs Indiana Fever (DK: $7,800, FD: $5,800)
Indiana allows the most paint points per game. Jones is third in the league in field goals made in the restricted area. I really like that combination.
Teammate Alyssa Thomas is safer as an option, but Thomas is priced pretty high, so Jones is a good player to pivot to. She's shooting 68.1 percent in the restricted area and has scored in double figures in seven of the last eight games. There's been an uptick in her attempts in the past two contests, and she's coming off her first double-double of 2020.
Dearica Hamby (F, Atlanta Dream) – vs Chicago Sky (DK: $7,600, FD: $6,000)
Sure, let's double-dip on Vegas forwards. Starting center Carolyn Swords is listed as probable with a quad contusion, which could limit her minutes and effectiveness if she plays, leading to more of the Wilson/Hamby frontcourt minutes.
And while we're exploiting teams with poor interior defense, let's go back to Chicago, who -- as mentioned above -- allows the fourth-most paint points. Hamby is fifth in the league in shots made per game in the restricted area. She also comes with some shooting upside, as she's averaging one three-point attempt per game, and aside from an 0-for-0 night against Minnesota, has made a three in five of the last six games.
