This article is part of our WNBA Fantasy Primer series.
Fantasy WNBA Week 7: Top Risers and Fallers
The WNBA has a lighter schedule this week to compensate for the Commissioner's Cup Championship on Tuesday, but there has still been plenty of movement among fantasy options recently.
Top Fantasy WNBA Risers for Week 7
Rachel Banham, Chicago Sky: The Chicago frontcourt has been somewhat unpredictable since Courtney Vandersloot suffered a torn ACL, but Banham has taken on a starting role over her last four appearances, averaging 10.5 points and 3.3 assists in 27.0 minutes per game. She's done so while Kia Nurse -- who nearly made the Risers list for this week as well -- has also been productive, showing that there could be fantasy-relevant roles available for both players, who are available in the vast majority of leagues. Hailey Van Lith's playing time has decreased recently, so Banham and Nurse should continue to have increased opportunities for the Sky.
Kennedy Burke, New York Liberty: Burke has made some spot starts for the Liberty this season, but she's moved to the bench over her last four appearances. However, she's been a reliable contributor over those four outings, scoring at least nine points in every game while also producing on the defensive side of the ball. She's averaged 12.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 24.5 minutes per game during that span and could continue to see an elevated role even when Leonie Fiebich -- who had a somewhat inconsistent start to the season -- rejoins the
Fantasy WNBA Week 7: Top Risers and Fallers
The WNBA has a lighter schedule this week to compensate for the Commissioner's Cup Championship on Tuesday, but there has still been plenty of movement among fantasy options recently.
Top Fantasy WNBA Risers for Week 7
Rachel Banham, Chicago Sky: The Chicago frontcourt has been somewhat unpredictable since Courtney Vandersloot suffered a torn ACL, but Banham has taken on a starting role over her last four appearances, averaging 10.5 points and 3.3 assists in 27.0 minutes per game. She's done so while Kia Nurse -- who nearly made the Risers list for this week as well -- has also been productive, showing that there could be fantasy-relevant roles available for both players, who are available in the vast majority of leagues. Hailey Van Lith's playing time has decreased recently, so Banham and Nurse should continue to have increased opportunities for the Sky.
Kennedy Burke, New York Liberty: Burke has made some spot starts for the Liberty this season, but she's moved to the bench over her last four appearances. However, she's been a reliable contributor over those four outings, scoring at least nine points in every game while also producing on the defensive side of the ball. She's averaged 12.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 24.5 minutes per game during that span and could continue to see an elevated role even when Leonie Fiebich -- who had a somewhat inconsistent start to the season -- rejoins the team.
Kalani Brown, Phoenix Mercury: Despite Natasha Mack missing the start of the regular season due to injury, Brown was unable to carve out much of a role in the frontcourt, playing exclusively off the bench while averaging just 13.8 minutes per game over her first 12 appearances of the season. Her playing time hasn't picked up much recently, as she's averaged just 13.7 minutes per game over her last three outings, but she's been slightly more reliable as a scorer and rebounder during that time, averaging 7.0 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, which at least puts her in streaming consideration. The Mercury play just one game this week, but Brown has put herself back on the fantasy radar, at least in a short-term capacity.
Key Fantasy WNBA Fallers to Avoid This Week
Chloe Bibby, Golden State Valkyries: Bibby had a strong start to her WNBA career for the shorthanded Valkyries, posting back-to-back performances with double-digit points while also racking up three steals over that two-game span. However, her playing time has decreased significantly over her last three appearances, and she's averaged just 3.0 points and 2.3 rebounds in 7.7 minutes per game during that time. The Valkyries are on the cusp of getting several players back from EuroBasket, so Bibby's time as a fantasy-relevant option appears to be drawing to a close for now.
Odyssey Sims, Los Angeles Sparks: Sims' status as a Faller is more circumstantial than others, as she recently missed five games while tending to a personal matter, and she returned to the court for Sunday's game against the Sky. However, she came off the bench and managed just two points, four assists and two rebounds in 17 minutes against Chicago while Shey Peddy continued to start. Sims was productive earlier in the season and could return to a similar level at some point, but Peddy appears to be the hot hand in the Sparks' backcourt for the time being.
Te-Hina Paopao, Atlanta Dream: Paopao had a strong run in mid-June in which she posted exactly 16 points in three of four appearances despite coming off the bench, and she shot 74.1 percent from the floor during that time. However, she cooled off drastically last week, averaging just 1.3 points and 1.3 assists in 11.0 minutes per game. She could see a slight uptick in playing time if Rhyne Howard (upper body) is forced to miss time, but Paopao's upside is limited now that her efficiency has regressed.
Fantasy WNBA Player to Watch in Week 7
Shey Peddy, Los Angeles Sparks: Peddy is the definition of a Player to Watch this week, as her usage will be intriguing to monitor as Odyssey Sims regains her conditioning. The Sparks have two games this week amid a relatively light schedule around the league, so Peddy has the potential to be a solid option for fantasy managers this week if she can maintain a starting role. The 36-year-old carries some risk since she wasn't even on the team prior to Sims' absence, but Peddy has had consistent fantasy production -- albeit with limited upside -- as a starter, and she could at least remain in streaming consideration if she can maintain ample playing time.
Those looking for up-to-the-minute fantasy WNBA news can check out RotoWire's WNBA Injury Report and WNBA Lineups. RotoWire also features Top WNBA Picks and Player Props on a daily basis to help find the best betting lines for each night's slate.
