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WNBA expert Justin Carter's 2023 WNBA fantasy mock draft. Read the picks and analysis from Justin and five other WNBA experts.
For the second year in a row, ESPN is offering season-long WNBA fantasy leagues. It's something that W fans have long asked for, and after an exciting first season, WNBA fantasy is back again for a second year. Do you have what it takes to win your league? Need some help figuring out what you're doing?
Ahead of the season, I got together five other WNBA experts to do a fantasy draft, so we could help provide readers with expert analysis of what to expect in the WNBA this season, especially after an offseason that reshaped the league.
Below, you'll find our picks and some analysis from me and the others about the draft. I'll also be providing daily DFS lineup picks throughout the season for those of you who want to engage with the WNBA from a fantasy perspective, but don't want to commit to a full season of fantasy.
Mock Draft Picks - Fantasy WNBA
For this draft, the following people contributed: Justin Carter, Em Adler, Robocoko, Dani Bar-Lavi, Drew Acampora, and Calvin Wetzel.
ROUND 1
Justin: A’ja Wilson (F, LV)
Em: Breanna Stewart (F, NY)
Robo: Brittney Griner (C, PHX)
Dani: Alyssa Thomas (F, CONN)
Drew: Sabrina Ionescu (G, NY)
Calvin: Napheesa Collier (F, MIN)
ROUND 2
Calvin: Kelsey Plum (G, LV)
Drew: Rhyne Howard (G, ATL)
Dani: Elena Delle Donne (F, WAS)
Robo: Arike Ogunbowale (G, DAL)
Em: Nneka Ogwumike (F, LA)
Justin: Jewell Loyd (G, SEA)
ROUND 3
Justin: Kahleah Copper (G, CHI)
Em: Kelsey Mitchell (G, IND)
Robo: Aliyah Boston (F, IND)
Dani: Ariel Atkins (G, WAS)
Drew: Ezi Magbegor (C, SEA)
Calvin: Jonquel Jones (F, NY)
ROUND 4
Calvin: Natasha Howard (F, DAL)
Drew: Chelsea Gray (G, LV)
Dani: Brionna Jones (C, CONN)
Robo: Candace Parker (F, LV)
Em: DeWanna Bonner (F, CONN)
Justin: Aerial Powers (F, MIN)
ROUND 5
Justin: Teaira McCowan (C, DAL)
Em: Diana Taurasi (G, PHX)
Robo: Allisha Gray (G, ATL)
Dani: Marina Mabrey (G, CHI)
Drew: Shakira Austin (C, WAS)
Calvin: Jackie Young (G, LV)
ROUND 6
Calvin: Natasha Cloud (G, WAS)
Drew: Satou Sabally (F, DAL)
Dani: NaLyssa Smith (F, IND)
Robo: Courtney Vandersloot (G, NY)
Em: Cheyenne Parker (F, ATL)
Justin: Azura Stevens (F, LA)
ROUND 7
Justin: Tiffany Hayes (G, CONN)
Em: Moriah Jefferson (G, PHX)
Robo: Courtney Williams (G, CHI)
Dani: Diamond DeShields (G, DAL)
Drew: Sophie Cunningham (G, PHX)
Calvin: Isabelle Harrison (F, CHI)
ROUND 8
Calvin: Kayla McBride (G, MIN)
Drew: Betnijah Laney (F, NY)
Dani: Myisha Hines-Allen (F, WAS)
Robo: Diamond Miller (G, MIN)
Em: Jessica Shepard (F, MIN)
Justin: Aari McDonald (G, ATL)
ROUND 9
Justin: Brianna Turner (F, PHX)
Em: Sami Whitcomb (G, SEA)
Robo: Lexie Brown (G, LA)
Dani: Natisha Hiedeman (G, CONN)
Drew: Jasmine Thomas (G, LA)
Calvin: Jordin Canada (G, LA)
Mock Draft Team Analysis - Fantasy WNBA
Justin Carter
A'ja Wilson
Jewell Loyd
Kahleah Copper
Aerial Powers
Teaira McCowan
Azura Stevens
Tiffany Hayes
Aari McDonald
Brianna Turner
Analysis
Having the first pick meant I had to decide between A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart. Honestly, I don't think there's a wrong answer between the two of them, but I leaned Wilson because she's playing in the same system she was last year, whereas Stewart has to adapt to a new team and new teammates. Wilson feels safer as a top pick.
I love what I got at the two/three turn. Jewell Loyd's going to eat this year as the No. 1 option for the Storm now that Stewart is gone, and Copper should do the same as the top option in Chicago now that Courtney Vandersloot, Allie Quigley, Candace Parker and Azura Stevens are all gone.
I think my favorite pick was getting Teaira McCowan in the fifth round. McCowan started 15 games last season for the Wings, averaging 14.7 points and 9.5 rebounds in those games. Assuming she's the full-time starting center this season, she's going to post some monster stat lines.
Aari McDonald in the eighth is a great upside play. She hasn't necessarily put up the kind of numbers in the W that some people expected after her college career, but she should get a shot to be Atlanta's starting point guard this season, something that would really help boost her numbers.
Em Adler
Breanna Stewart
Nneka Ogwumike
Kelsey Mitchell
DeWanna Bonner
Diana Taurasi
Cheyenne Parker
Moriah Jefferson
Jessica Shepard
Sami Whitcomb
Analysis
My strategy to start was just drafting the best players available, and after Justin took A’ja Wilson, it was between Breanna Stewart and Alyssa Thomas. I went with Stewart because she’s been the more consistent fantasy player and her being one of the two best players in the world should mean she sacrifices less than her New York co-superstars.
By the time I had my second pick, I was guaranteed one of Elena Delle Donne, Arike Ogunbowale, and Nneka Ogwumike, all of whom are perennial candidates for Fantasy MVP, and I was ecstatic just to draft one of them. Kelsey Mitchell as my third pick was a no-brainer: I already had two forwards, she was the last elite guard left, and I had her ranked much higher than multiple guards who’d already been picked. And DeWanna Bonner was another easy “best player available” choice, someone who’s consistently produced across all categories and is in line for even more volume this year.
With four players with very high floors and three frontcourt players in the bag, I needed guards and I could afford to take swings on some upside. I bet on Diana Taurasi continuing to get up shots and avoid Father Time for yet another season. I took Cheyenne Parker as the last player on my board with a secure role and long track record of production, then another upside play with Moriah Jefferson, one of the best guards in fantasy as a Lynx last year.
Jessica Shepard was an upside swing in the frontcourt, after a great 2022 and a chance for the same in 2023, and Sami Whitcomb filled my need for a reliable backcourt player after my prior two guard picks carried some risk. Despite just missing out on some of my targets, I feel like I came away with a balanced roster with both a high floor and a high ceiling.
Robocoko
Brittney Griner
Arike Ogunbowale
Aliyah Boston
Candace Parker
Allisha Gray
Courtney Vandersloot
Courtney Williams
Diamond Miller
Lexie Brown
Analysis
My strategy was pretty simple: I looked at the fantasy points the players averaged last season, assessed current roster situations, and when in doubt, chose a player I love rooting for regardless.
The so-called Superteams added an interesting wrinkle. Even on these projected offensive juggernauts, there are still only so many points to go around. For example, I got Candace Parker in the fourth round, even though she was eighth in fantasy points last year. But now she’s joining a team where the other four starters averaged 69 points per game combined last season. Luckily, it’s Candace, so we know she will find a way to make a big impact on any roster.
With that said, here is why my team is going to crush the others:
1. I have Brittney Griner and they don’t. BG knocks it out of the park on each step of my analysis: she was third in fantasy points in 2021 (excluding players not currently in the league), will be hoovering up rebounds on a team where she is the best player by far, and I can’t wait to root for her.
2. I got the rookies. No one else was #brave enough to take a bet on the rooks, but I am expecting big things from Aliyah Boston and Diamond Miller. Both are on teams where they can make an immediate impact. Diamond’s 19 points, five rebounds, and two assists in her preseason debut made me feel even better about these picks.
3. There’s no negative points for missed shots. You can have the (sometimes overblown) conversation about efficiency somewhere else, because with Arike Ogumbowale, Courtney Williams, and the sharpshooter Lexie Brown, my team is going to score. A lot.
Dani Bar-Lavi
Alyssa Thomas
Elena Delle Donne
Ariel Atkins
Brionna Jones
Marina Mabrey
NaLyssa Smith
Diamond DeShields
Myisha Hines-Allen
Analysis
My strategy for the draft was pretty straightforward—I tried to grab high-usage players on the best non-super team teams, which is how my first four picks *all* ended up being from Connecticut or Washington. My first two picks—Alyssa Thomas and Elena Delle Donne—are both genuine MVP candidates.
With the departure of Jonquel Jones, I think we should see an extremely high usage season from AT, with per-game numbers up across the board. Delle Donne is ostensibly as healthy and game ready as ever; if this is true, getting her in the second round (or even outside of the top 5) feels like a steal.
With my third pick, I needed a guard, and I struggled mightily between Chelsea Gray and Ariel Atkins, but ultimately ended up taking Atkins due to: 1. Washington's backcourt being less crowded than Vegas and 2. At least if Delle Donne gets hurt I’ll have an uptick in scoring from Atkins to compensate. I wanted to take another guard with my fourth pick, but Bri Jones just felt like the clear best player available, I loved taking her this low when we should see a huge minutes/usage uptick from her as she steps into the role of starting center.
The rest of my picks can mostly be classified as high-upside picks with slightly less proven players in new situations—swings, if you will. I feel great about Marina Mabrey with the fifth pick, who should more consistently see the ball in her hands with the Sky this season—we all know Mabrey has a high ceiling with the ball in her hands—she could be an All-Star this year.
I’m high on NaLyssa Smith, who’s coming off a successful rookie year, I’m excited to see what Smith can accomplish in her second year on a more complete Fever roster. She and Aliyah Boston will form a dynamic two-way frontcourt, and I do think we’ll see more touches on offense from NaLyssa, who’s more versatile on that end at this point in her career.
My penultimate pick swung between Diamond DeShields and Kayla McBride, with Diamond a more high upside, “what if” play and K-Mac a more high floor, you know what you get play. Diamond is definitely high risk, with lingering injury concerns and an ever-crowded Dallas roster. But if Diamond is fully healthy (big if), and can somewhat return to her pre-Wubble, pre-injury production, this could be a steal this late in the draft.
Myisha Hines-Allen is another player who has seen her role dwindle while dealing with injury over the past few seasons but still shows flashes of her 18 and 8 Wubble campaign in games where she has her legs beneath her and she’s given run. MHA gives me consistent production here with a chance to really pop off in some games. Natisha Hiedeman felt like the safest bet out of the best remaining guards available—I stayed away from both Jasmine Thomas and Jordin Canada here due to uncertainty around the Spark’s guard rotation.
Drew Acampora
Sabrina Ionescu
Rhyne Howard
Ezi Magbegor
Chelsea Gray
Shakira Austin
Satou Sabally
Sophie Cunningham
Betnijah Laney
Jasmine Thomas
Analysis
In ESPN's scoring system, it definitely feels like it's imperative to grab your guards early and that was my plan at the top of the draft with Sab and Rhyne. Coming into the draft with the No. 5 pick, my goal was to land two of Sab, Rhyne, or Kelsey, so ultimately am cool with how it played out.
However, I felt like I was able to start compounding high-upside swings when I selected Chelsea, Shakira, and Satou in consecutive picks. Chelsea's second-half splits were out of this world and I'm a big believer that both Shakira and Satou are on the precipe of stardom, so I preferred to grab bigs in this tier.
My only few regrets were leaving the draft without Diamond Miller, who can immediately enter the W with a high usage role and I may lose sleep selecting Ezi over Jonquel, who will be in a position for more open looks than ever in her career, but I believe Ezi is poised to breakout with new role post-Stewie in Seattle.
Calvin Wetzel
Napheesa Collier
Kelsey Plum
Jonquel Jones
Natasha Howard
Jackie Young
Natasha Cloud
Isabelle Harrison
Kayla McBride
Jordin Canada
Analysis
With my first two picks, I wanted to make sure I got at least one guard due to the relative scarcity of the position in WNBA fantasy. Fortunately, Kelsey Plum was still on the board, so I was able to get a guard just by taking the two best players available in Plum and Napheesa Collier.
