This article is part of our WNBA Fantasy Primer series.
WNBA Fantasy Basketball Update
As the calendar turns to August, just over a month remains in the WNBA season, and there are only two regular-season weeks left in standard ESPN fantasy leagues. As teams shift their focus toward jostling for postseason positioning, there are several trends around the league worth monitoring ahead of the fantasy playoffs. Subscribers can use the Discussion section to ask league-specific questions.
Stock Watch
Risers
Dorka Juhasz, F, Lynx: Although Jessica Shepard returned from a lengthy absence this week, Juhasz has maintained her spot in the starting lineup, while Shepard has come off the bench. Juhasz posted the third double-double of her career during Friday's win over the Liberty and has scored in double figures in back-to-back matchups. Especially while Napheesa Collier is out with an ankle injury, Juhasz should be able to maintain a sizable role in Minnesota's system.
Megan Gustafson, C, Mercury: Brittney Griner missed Sunday's game against the Sky to focus on her mental health, and she'll remain out for Tuesday's game against Indiana. Gustafson started in her absence Sunday but had been on an upward trajectory in recent matchups regardless of her starting status. She's scored in double figures in four consecutive matchups, averaging 15.0 points and 6.3 rebounds in 20.0 minutes per game. Even when Griner returns to the court, Gustafson should have a chance to maintain some fantasy relevance.
Jessica Shepard, C, Lynx: Shepard is already rostered in a decent number of ESPN fantasy leagues, but she's worth picking up in leagues where she may have been dropped during her lengthy absence. The 26-year-old has come off the bench in every appearance since returning and has averaged 8.3 points and 7.7 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per game. Her playing time has increased in each outing, and she posted a double-double Sunday against Connecticut. It's unclear how Minnesota's starting five will look once Napheesa Collier is back in action, but Shepard has still displayed fantasy potential off the bench.
Sami Whitcomb, G, Storm: The Storm have made several changes to their starting lineup this season, most recently replacing Ivana Dojkic with Whitcomb over the past three games. Whitcomb has been productive since taking on a starting role, averaging 10.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 32.0 minutes per game. She had some inconsistent performances earlier in the season, but it's been encouraging to see her as a reliable contributor while starting.
Aari McDonald, G, Dream: McDonald started the first five games of the season but has come off the bench in her five appearances since returning from a shoulder injury. Despite her bench role, she's scored in double figures in three of her last five appearances, averaging 11.4 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 22.6 minutes per game. Even if she continues to come off the bench, she's been a decent fantasy option recently.
Fallers
Grace Berger, G, Fever: Berger's inconsistent playing time this year has significantly hindered her fantasy appeal, but she had some encouraging performances around the All-Star break, including an outing against the Liberty on July 12 in which she posted 15 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals in 36 minutes. However, she's been held scoreless in two of her last three appearances and hasn't been a reliable fantasy contributor over the past week.
Shey Peddy, G, Mercury: Like Berger, Peddy had some encouraging outings close to the All-Star break but has had minimal production recently. Peddy has maintained her fair share of playing time off the bench, averaging 16.7 minutes per game over her last three appearances, but she's averaged just 0.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists during that time. While she could have some glimpses of production down the stretch, she doesn't have much season-long fantasy appeal at this point.
Lexie Brown, G, Sparks: Brown has been a solid contributor when on the court this season, but she had a lengthy absence earlier this year due to a non-COVID illness. She returned to action for three games recently but is dealing with a non-COVID illness once again and is slated to miss a third consecutive matchup Tuesday. While the Sparks continue to update her status on a game-by-game basis, it's safe to wonder how much time she'll miss during her current absence.
DiJonai Carrington, G, Sun: Carrington has had some inconsistent performances this season but had especially discouraging usage last Tuesday against the Wings, playing just three minutes off the bench. While she bounced back with 11 points, four rebounds and three assists in 24 minutes during Sunday's loss to the Lynx, it's unclear whether she'll have more appearances in which she's on the fringes of the rotation. Carrington isn't necessarily a drop candidate at this point, but she's a risky starting option.
Emma Cannon, F, Fever: Cannon scored in double figures during the Fever's final game before the All-Star break, and she logged 13 points during the team's first game after the layoff. However, she's been held below 14 minutes in four consecutive appearances and has been limited to single-digit scoring totals in those outings. Cannon still has some fantasy production due to her rebounding, but her upside is limited due to her recent decrease in playing time.
Injury/Absence Implications
Note: Updated injury and absence information throughout the week can be found on RotoWire's WNBA Injury Report page.
Chicago Sky: Sika Kone was recently suspended by the Sky temporarily so she could compete for the Mali national team at Afrobasket. Her absence won't impact the team's rotation.
Connecticut Sun: Bernadett Hatar signed with the Sun on Wednesday but wasn't available Sunday against the Lynx due to a knee injury.
Indiana Fever: Victoria Vivians is doubtful for Tuesday's game against the Mercury due to a non-COVID illness. Vivians has been productive recently, but Lexie Hull, Maya Caldwell and Kristy Wallace are candidates to see increased run in her likely absence.
Los Angeles Sparks: The Sparks continue to deal with multiple absences and are once again without Lexie Brown, who will miss a third consecutive game with a non-COVID illness Tuesday. The team signed Evina Westbrook to a seven-day hardship contract Monday to provide additional depth in Brown's absence.
Minnesota Lynx: The Lynx announced Friday that Napheesa Collier would be sidelined 7-10 days due to a right ankle sprain. The team has won back-to-back tough matchups in her absence as Jessica Shepard and Dorka Juhasz have performed well in the frontcourt, while Nikolina Milic has taken on a starting role. Emily Engstler has been dealing with a shoulder injury recently but will likely be able to suit up Tuesday.
New York Liberty: Courtney Vandersloot missed the second half of a back-to-back set Friday against the Lynx for rest purposes, thrusting Marine Johannes into a starting role. However, Vandersloot returned to the court -- and the starting lineup -- Sunday against Los Angeles.
Phoenix Mercury: Brittney Griner missed Sunday's game against the Sky to focus on her mental health, and she'll also be sidelined Tuesday. Megan Gustafson and Michaela Onyenwere performed well in her absence against Chicago. Diana Taurasi recently missed three games due to quadriceps and toe issues but returned to action Sunday against Chicago. Onyenwere started in her absence but retreated to the bench Sunday.
Seattle Storm: Jordan Horston missed last Tuesday's game against the Liberty for personal reasons but has been back in action over the last two matchups.
Lineup Trends
Note: Projected lineups and up-to-the-minute lineup confirmations can be found on RotoWire's WNBA Daily Lineups page.
Seattle Storm: Sami Whitcomb has taken on a starting role over the last three matchups, while Ivana Dojkic has retreated to the bench.
