WNBA DFS Picks and Lineup Tips for Tuesday, Aug. 1

WNBA DFS Picks and Lineup Tips for Tuesday, Aug. 1

WNBA Schedule Today

  • Minnesota Lynx at Connecticut Sun
  • Phoenix Mercury at Indiana Fever
  • Atlanta Dream at Las Vegas Aces
  • New York Liberty at Los Angeles Sparks

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Minnesota Lynx at Connecticut Sun

Line: Sun -11.5
O/U: 162.5

Injury Report - Lynx vs. Sun

Note: All return dates are just estimates

Minnesota

NamePosInjuryStatusReturn
Napheesa CollierFAnkleOUT8/8/2023
Rachel BanhamGThumbOUT8/18/2023
Natalie AchonwaCPersonalOUT10/1/2023

Connecticut

NamePosInjuryStatusReturn
Bernadett HatarCKneeGTD8/1/2023
Brionna JonesCAchillesOFS10/1/2023

WNBA DFS Showdown Picks and Lineup Building Strategy

Tuesday's matchup is the second straight between the Lynx and Sun after Minnesota stole a game on the road Sunday with an 87-83 victory. On Sunday, the two will feature another entertaining game in their final meeting of the regular season. 

Minnesota enters the game playing some surprisingly solid basketball without Napheesa Collier (ankle) on the floor, having won three straight including back-to-back road games against New York and Connecticut. At the .500 mark for the first time this season, the Lynx (13-13) have been led by Kayla McBride, who's been the top offensive producer while also delivering her usual timely defense. Minnesota's rookie duo of Diamond Miller and Dorka Juhasz have stepped up in key moments lately, and Jessica Shepard coming off the bench has been a nice lift for Minnesota's second unit. 

Connecticut has hit a bit of a road bump, winning just six of its last 10, but the Sun are still a top-three team in the WNBA and sit one game back of the second-place Liberty. Two players to watch in Tuesday's game are DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas, who both played very well against Minnesota on Sunday. Bonner enters Tuesday having tallied two straight 30-point games, while Thomas secured her fourth triple-double of the season in her last outing against the Lynx.

Phoenix Mercury at Indiana Fever

Line: Fever -6.5
O/U: 160.5

Injury Report - Mercury vs. Fever

Note: All return dates are just estimates

Phoenix

NamePosInjuryStatusReturn
Brittney GrinerCNot Injury RelatedOUT8/3/2023
Skylar Diggins-SmithGPersonalOUT8/23/2023

Indiana

NamePosInjuryStatusReturn
NaLyssa SmithFFootGTD8/1/2023

WNBA DFS Showdown Picks and Lineup Building Strategy

This battle will feature two struggling teams that both hold multi-game losing streaks, but something has to give in Indiana.  

The Mercury have lost three straight and seven of their last 10 games, and they currently sit tied for 10th place in the league standings. One key contributor, Brittney Griner, will be out  Tuesday due to personal reasons, so expect the likes of Diana Taurasi, Michaela Onyenwere and Megan Gustafson to pick up the pace offensively as they did in the last game for Phoenix.

The Fever have continued a rollercoaster season, losing a league-long four games in a row while dropping nine of their last 10 outings entering Tuesday's home game. The good news for Indiana is it holds a 4-9 record at home compared to Phoenix's 1-12 road record, so the Fever are in good position to bounce back. With NaLyssa Smith likely out due to injury and Aliyah Boston struggling as of late, Kelsey Mitchell has been the player to pick up the pace for Indiana and is the team's leading scorer over the last five outings. 

Atlanta Dream at Las Vegas Aces

Line: Aces -15.5
O/U: 176.5

Injury Report - Dream vs. Aces

Note: All return dates are just estimates

Atlanta

No injuries to report.

Las Vegas

NamePosInjuryStatusReturn
Riquna WilliamsGSuspensionSUSP8/17/2023
Candace ParkerFAnkleOUT9/10/2023

WNBA DFS Showdown Picks and Lineup Building Strategy

Tuesday's game between Atlanta and Las Vegas could be a playoff preview, with both teams sitting in the top five in the WNBA standings with about a month and a half left in the regular season. 

The Dream have been a team on the rise so far this season, winning seven of their last 10 games to shoot from the bottom of the postseason picture to the top half of the WNBA. With a talented offense, Atlanta has been paced by Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard over the strong 10-game stretch, with Gray averaging a team-best 18.5 points and Howard adding 17.5 points over that span. Expect those two to try and do all they can to put up a fight against Las Vegas.

The Aces have been clearly the best team in the league this season, dropping only two games thus far while winning seven straight and nine of their last 10. Las Vegas is not only the top offensive squad in the WNBA this year, but it is also the top defensive team which is a recipe for disaster for every team the Aces have faced. Keep an eye on Chelsea Gray, who is averaging 20 points over her last three games and should be in line for a big game against an Atlanta team that might not have the firepower to contain her defensively. And of course, you have to pay attention to A'ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young, who have all been consistently great for Las Vegas on a nightly basis. 

New York Liberty at Los Angeles Sparks

Line: Liberty -9.5
O/U: 167.5

Injury Report - Liberty vs. Sparks

Note: All return dates are just estimates

New York

NamePosInjuryStatusReturn
Stefanie DolsonCAnkleOUT8/4/2023
Han XuCFootSUSP-INJ8/11/2023

Los Angeles

NamePosInjuryStatusReturn
Lexie BrownGIllnessOUT8/4/2023
Chiney OgwumikeFFootOUT8/19/2023
Nia CloudenGKneeOUT8/19/2023
Stephanie TalbotFKneeOFS2/1/2024
Katie Lou SamuelsonFPersonalOFS2/1/2024

WNBA DFS Showdown Picks and Lineup Building Strategy

The last game of the night between New York and Los Angeles features two teams who are going in opposite directions in the standings. 

The Liberty have been arguably the best team in the WNBA this season behind Las Vegas, with the superteam in New York winning eight of its last 10 outings to sit in second in the standings. The Liberty have been impressive on both ends of the floor, and the health of Jonquel Jones has been key over the last couple of weeks. With Los Angeles' lack of depth at guard, look for a player like Sabrina Ionescu or Betnijah Laney to step up for New York, both averaging around 15 points over their last five games. 

The Sparks have been one of the more disappointing teams this season, sitting in ninth place in the standings while dropping eight of their last 10 games. Los Angeles hasn't been able to get much going this season, mainly due to the continued injuries on the team which has impacted the depth of the squad and its chemistry. Nneka Ogwumike has been dominant all year long and has averaged 20 points over her last five games, but keep an eye on Jordin Canada, who has stormed onto the scene recently, averaging 17.2 points and 7.2 assists over her last five outings.  

WNBA DFS Picks Today

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Thomas did it all for Connecticut on Sunday against Minnesota, and there's no reason to believe her play will drop off Tuesday against a team she has had strong performances against this season. Gray has been one of the top two producers for Atlanta's offense this year, with Rhyne Howard being the other option. With Howard not at 100%, expect Gray's strong play to continue Tuesday. McBride has done it all for Minnesota since Napheesa Collier's absence, not only serving as the team's leading scorer but also as a top contributor on defense as well. 

Value Plays

DraftKings

Bonner posted her second straight 30-point outing Sunday against Minnesota, and her play should continue Tuesday against the Lynx. Gray could be set for a big game against Atlanta which doesn't have a ton of firepower at point guard to match the talents of Gray. Without Brittney Griner, Taurasi will carry a bit more of the load offensively for Phoenix against Indiana, so look for the guard to put up plenty of shots to try and lift the Mercury out of their recent slump. 

Value Plays

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mitchell Hansen
Mitchell has covered sports teams and leagues on all levels, having spent more than seven years covering the WNBA and NBA, among other sports. He joined RotoWire in 2022 while offering analysis on the NBA, WNBA and G League. You can follow him on Twitter @M_Hansen13.
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