WNBA Schedule Today
- Minnesota Lynx at Indiana Fever
- Connecticut Sun at Phoenix Mercury
- Atlanta Dream at Seattle Storm
RotoWire WNBA DFS Tools
Daily Matchups (Vegas Odds, Team Efficiency, Pace, Opposing Stats)
Minnesota Lynx 
at Indiana Fever 
Line: Lynx -3.5
O/U: 162.5
Injury Report - Lynx vs. Fever
Note: All return dates are just estimates
Minnesota
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorka Juhasz | F | Hamstring | GTD | 8/10/2023 |
| Natalie Achonwa | C | Personal | OUT | 8/18/2023 |
Indiana
No injuries to report.
WNBA DFS Showdown Picks and Lineup Building Strategy
The first game of the night will feature a team that was once at the bottom of the WNBA standings but has since risen and a team that has dropped to the bottom of the standings in the second half of the year.
The Lynx come into the game having won four of their last six games while rising to the sixth seed in the league. Minnesota has turned things around after an 0-6 start to the year, getting nice production from star forward Napheesa Collier, who is playing at an MVP level in her fifth season. Collier is a player to watch in Thursday's game against Indiana, as she's averaged 30 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and one steal in two games against the Fever. Another player to monitor, especially if Dorka Juhasz (hamstring) isn't able to play again Thursday, is Jessica Shepard. Shepard has averaged a near-double-double in two straight starts for Minnesota.
The Fever have struggled lately, coming into Thursday losers of three straight and eight of their last 10 outings to sit in last place in the WNBA. Indiana has dealt with a mix of injuries and a learning curve with youth as of late, which has played a role in the drop in the standings. Indiana did get NaLyssa Smith (foot) back Tuesday after missing the last nine games, so she could have a nice showing against the Lynx as she works her way back to full strength. Aliyah Boston will be worth keeping an eye on Thursday, averaging a double-double in two appearances against the Lynx so far this year.
Connecticut Sun 
at Phoenix Mercury 
Line: Sun -8
O/U: 160.5
Injury Report - Sun vs. Mercury
Note: All return dates are just estimates
Connecticut
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brionna Jones | C | Achilles | OFS | 10/1/2023 |
Phoenix
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shey Peddy | G | Concussion | OUT | 8/13/2023 |
| Skylar Diggins-Smith | G | Personal | OUT | 8/23/2023 |
WNBA DFS Showdown Picks and Lineup Building Strategy
In one of two games to cap the night of games Thursday, Connecticut and Phoenix will battle in a game that features a Sun team that is dominant on the road and a Mercury squad that has been solid at home this year.
The Sun have managed to once again put together a strong regular season despite losing Brionna Jones (Achilles) for the year earlier in the regular season. Connecticut sits in third place in the WNBA at 21-7, just one game back of the New York Liberty in second while winning eight of the last 10 games entering Thursday. Connecticut has been strong on the road this season, holding a record of 12-3 away from home, which will be tough for Phoenix to overcome. DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas have led the way over the three-game win streak, but another player to monitor against Phoenix is Tiffany Hayes, who has averaged 14.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists over the last three outings.
The Mercury have been disappointing this season, but they have climbed out of the bottom of the league standings while sitting in 10th and winning four of their last 10 outings to sit at 8-20 overall. Headlined by reaching her 10,000th career point last weekend, Diana Taurasi has been on a tear lately and could continue that trend Thursday while averaging 30.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists over her last five games. A player off the bench who could be worth taking a chance on for a cheap betting price is Megan Gustafson, who has been consistent for Phoenix's second unit while averaging 14.8 points and 6.4 rebounds over the last five outings.
Atlanta Dream 
at Seattle Storm 
Line: Dream -5
O/U: 165.5
Injury Report - Dream vs. Storm
Note: All return dates are just estimates
Atlanta
No injuries to report.
Seattle
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gabby Williams | F | Foot | OUT | 9/10/2023 |
WNBA DFS Showdown Picks and Lineup Building Strategy
The final game on the slate Thursday could be a shootout between two teams who have shown the ability to throw up a good amount of shots mainly from three this season. Atlanta is fifth in the WNBA in three-point percentage, while Seattle is sixth and has taken the second-most shots per game from deep.
The Dream have risen up the WNBA standings this season and have remained as a top-five team with the postseason approaching. Atlanta has tapered off a bit over the last 10 games, holding a record of 5-5 over that span, but the team has remained in the fourth seed in the league. To lead a top-five offense in the WNBA, Allisha Gray has been an offensive spark on a nightly bases for the Dream, averaging 18.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists over her last five games. Cheyenne Parker has pitched in more and more over the last five contests, stepping up with 15.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.8 blocks over her last five outings.
The Storm have been in a clear rebuild all season, resulting in the team sitting near the bottom of the standings where they remain to this day at 7-21 overall. The story of the season for Seattle has been the play of Jewell Loyd, who has done everything for her squad while leading the WNBA in scoring entering Thursday. Outside of Loyd, watch for Ezi Magbegor against Atlanta to be the next in line to produce offensively, especially now with Gabby Williams out with a fractured foot. Magbegor has averaged the second-most points on the team over the last five games, averaging 13.2 points and a team-leading 6.8 rebounds during that stretch.
WNBA DFS Picks Today
FanDuel
- Jewell Loyd ($8,800)
- Napheesa Collier ($8,700)
- Allisha Gray ($6,900)
Loyd has continued to be the most dominant scorer in the WNBA, but she is coming off an 11-point performance in her last outing. That could set the stage for a bounce-back mentality and performance against Atlanta. Collier is back at full strength after a brief absence with an ankle injury, and her outing Tuesday proved she is back to form for Minnesota. The Lynx will lean on her early and often again and hope she continues her strong offensive play as of late against a struggling Indiana squad. Gray could find herself in the middle of a shootout with Loyd on the other side of the floor, something Gray has shown a strong ability to do as of late. Look for her to build off a 20-point outing from the last game and continue that trend Thursday.
Value Plays
- Sophie Cunningham ($5,700)
- Nikolina Milic ($4,800)
DraftKings
- Aliyah Boston ($10,600)
- Diana Taurasi ($9,600)
- Cheyenne Parker ($8,600)
Boston has played well recently and especially in the two games against Minnesota this season, and the Lynx's uncertainty of whether or not Dorka Juhasz will be available could open things up for Boston to take advantage of Minnesota's post depth. Taurasi has been one of the top offensive producers in the WNBA as of late, and a battle against the Sun could result in Taurasi trying to put shots up early and often to keep her team in the game against a superior opponent. Parker's matchup against Seattle is a favorable one, so expect her to build on her last three games where she has posted at least 15 points and five rebounds.
Value Plays
- Kayla McBride ($7,900)
- Sami Whitcomb ($6,800)
