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Jim McCormick
With the WNBA playoffs just a few weeks away, the fantasy playoffs have begun for most leagues. This doesn’t spell the end of working on your roster. Rather, each move means even more during these final days of the season.
Injuries are influencing several rotations around the league, such as the wave of starters missing for the Indiana Fever. It can be frustrating when the stars that helped get you this far are sidelined, but it also creates openings for hidden gems to step up. Pivoting to productive players from free agency is the best way to exercise agency as a fantasy manager during these final nights of the season.
Don’t be afraid to take risks now as short-term production matters more than name value. With that in mind, let’s look at the league with an eye on identifying some of the best streaming options in the week ahead.
Backcourt
Lexie Hull, G, Indiana Fever (Rostered in 40.7% of ESPN leagues): The Fever are missing multiple key starters, pushing Hull into a primary playmaking role. With increased touches, passes and shots in this role, Hull could prove to be a difference-maker during the final games of the campaign.
Leila Lacan, G, Connecticut Sun (13.6%): It’s advisable to pursue both of the team’s emergent rookie guards, as Saniya Rivers (43.3%) has been a revelation in recent outings. Lacan missed Monday night’s matchup with the Liberty, but a return to action by Wednesday for an inviting matchup with the Wings appears possible. Lacan has been one of the league’s most productive passers the past few weeks. With the team turning the offense over to their rookie guards, it’s a wise time to invest in the Sun.
Frontcourt
Jessica Shepard, F, Minnesota Lynx (24.7%): A massive triple-double was followed by a scoreless outing for Shepard recently, highlighting some of the volatility inherent to her fantasy profile. As one of the team’s top “glue” players on both sides of the ball, Shepard won’t handle a massive workload now that her superstar teammate Napheesa Collier is back in the mix. That said, there are still going to be big lines ahead for a critical starter in a contending rotation.
Iliana Rupert, C, Golden State Valkyries (6.8%): An injury to Cecilia Zandalasini and a shift to the bench for Kate Martin opens up minutes and touches for Rupert in the rotation. Strong production has surfaced whenever Rupert starts, which was the case in a strong recent game against Dallas. There’s also a place for Janelle Salaun (30.1%) on fantasy rosters, albeit with a lower ceiling.