More people are watching and consuming the WNBA. That’s simply a fact. The Liberty became the first team in WNBA history to bring in more than $2 million in revenue during a matchup with Caitlin Clark and the Fever on Saturday. After a disappointing season for the Nets, nearly 18,000 fans at Barclays Center were treated to a 91-80 win over Indiana in the team’s home opener. All five starters scored in double figures and hit at least two 3-pointers as the team moved to 3-0 on the season.
Last year’s WNBA Finals featured the Liberty losing to the Aces 3-1, and both teams have been able to get off to a hot start this season. Both squads are loaded with talent, but the stars of each team have been among the best players in fantasy thus far. A’ja Wilson has only played two games, but she is averaging 26.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.5 blocks per game. ESPN is the only platform currently offering Women’s fantasy hoops, and they only have points leagues. While league commissioners are free to customize their scoring, by ESPN’s standard scoring, Wilson is averaging a whopping 50.0 fantasy points per game. For the Liberty, Breanna Stewart is averaging 21.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.7 steals, 1.7 blocks and 1.0 triple per game. They’ve played three games, so Stewart leads the league in total fantasy points with 123.0.
The reigning @WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart went for 24 PTS on 50% shooting to give the Liberty a 3-0 start to the season 🗽
— NBA (@NBA) May 18, 2024
pic.twitter.com/K1pi6XSnKL
Despite how young the season still is, it is important to take advantage of every opportunity that is available. With that being said, let’s take a look at the schedule for next week and a few headlines and streaming options that can help you get off to a good start in your league.
Week 2 games played:
4 games- IND
3 games- CONN, PHX, SEA, DAL, WAS, NY, LA, MIN
2 games- CHI, LV, ATL
The W is putting Clark on full display early this season, which gives her and her team an edge in fantasy hoops. Clark, Aliyah Boston and NaLyssa Smith have been the three best fantasy options on the team, and they’ll be extra valuable in week 2.
Almost every other team plays three games, though the Aces, Sky and Dream will be limited to two. After playing on Tuesday, the Dream have four days off before they play again on Sunday. The Aces also play on Tuesday, though their second game will be a day earlier on Saturday. Chicago’s week doesn’t tip off until Thursday before they wrap things up on Saturday.
Light game days:
Monday: 2 games
Connecticut @ Indiana
Seattle @ New York
Wednesday: 1 game
Indiana @ Seattle
Friday: 1 game
Indiana @ Los Angeles
Sunday: 2 games
Minnesota @ Atlanta
Dallas @ Los Angeles
Not only do the Fever have more games than everyone else, but they are the only team that plays on multiple days, which gives them even more of an advantage. If maximizing games played is important for your league, keep an eye on the Fever.
Back-to-backs:
Sunday-Monday: SEA
Friday-Saturday: IND
Saturday-Sunday: DAL, MIN
These are the first back-to-backs of the season for any team, and the fatigue factor will be worth keeping an eye on. Nneka Ogwumike missed Sunday’s win over Washington due to an ankle injury, which allowed Mercedes Russell (4.6%) to log 30 minutes in the starting unit. She finished with eight points, five rebounds and two steals. If Ogwumike remains out on Monday, Russell should get another start.
The Fever will play four games in six days, with the final three coming on the road. The fourth game will also be in Las Vegas against the reigning champions. Clark will certainly continue to get hit with “welcome to the league” moments.
Dallas gets a few days off before their back-to-back, but Minnesota will play three games in four days. After playing in Connecticut on Thursday, they’ll travel home for a matchup with the Liberty on Saturday before heading to Atlanta to close the week on Sunday. That’s a tough stretch, but they will get a few days off before they play again the following Wednesday.
Headlines:
Chelsea Gray (foot) plans to play this season
Gray suffered a left foot injury during the Finals last season, and the injury has kept her sidelined to start this year. There isn’t a timeline for when she’ll return to the court, but she does plan to play this season. Alysha Clark (28% rostered) has opened the year as part of the starting unit and has averaged 22.5 fantasy points in 31 minutes per game. Becky Hammon also utilized Kate Martin (6.9%), who is a rookie out of Iowa, in their second game of the season after she didn’t see the floor in the opener. She played 26 minutes and contributed three points, five rebounds, three assists, one block and one 3-pointer.
Kate Martin HUGE BLOCK 😤😤 pic.twitter.com/m0GTVKnRAh
— Bri Lewerke (@brilewerke) May 18, 2024
Injuries piling up in Dallas
The Wings’ rotation keeps on getting thinner. On Friday, the team announced that Natasha Howard will miss 3-6 weeks due to a broken foot that she suffered in the team’s season opener on Wednesday. They were able to add Monique Billings (3.5%) on a hardship contract, and she made her debut for the team on Saturday, as she finished with five points, four rebounds and two assists in 20 minutes off the bench. Maddy Siegrist (19.8%) slid into the starting unit in place of Howard, though she only contributed six points, two rebounds and one steal in 19 minutes. Siegrist, who was the No. 3 pick in 2023, was much better in the opener, as she chipped in 13 points, five rebounds, one assist, three blocks and a triple in 18 minutes off the bench. It’s also worth noting that Billings started the second half of Saturday’s game in place of Siegrist, which could be a trend that continues. If Siegrist and Billings continue to split minutes moving forward, the production of both players will be capped.
Monique Billings showcases her athleticism, catching the lob and finishing at the rim with poise 👏
— WNBA (@WNBA) May 19, 2024
📺 CHI-DAL on @nbatv pic.twitter.com/3ItzfPWezs
After going undrafted in 2020, Jaelyn Brown spent a few years playing in multiple professional leagues before finally making it to the WNBA this season. She suffered a nasal fracture last week, and the team announced on Thursday that she is set to miss one week. That will keep her sidelined for Tuesday’s game in Atlanta, but she’ll have a chance to return for Saturday’s game in Phoenix. Stephanie Soares (0.7%) moved into the starting unit along with Siegrist in a taller lineup for Dallas. Soares, who was the fourth pick in 2023, missed her only shot attempt, but in 32 minutes, she contributed nine rebounds, one assist, one steal and four blocks.
Satou Sabally has been sidelined with a shoulder injury, and she isn’t expected to make her season debut until after the Olympic break. She is expected to suit up for Germany in the Olympics, so she should be ready to hit the ground running when Dallas returns to the court on August 16th.
Britney Griner (toe) out indefinitely
Griner fractured a toe on her left foot before the regular season began, which has kept her on the sidelines for their first two games. She will reportedly be re-evaluated within the next few weeks, which may provide a clearer timeline for her return. Natasha Mack (4.9%) has started in her place and averaged 4.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.0 steal and 2.5 blocks in 20.5 minutes per game.
Nika Mühl remains sidelined due to work visa issues
Mühl was able to suit up in the preseason while playing on her student visa, but that visa was terminated once she officially graduated from UConn. Mühl is a Croatian citizen, and she will need to wait for a P-1 visa, which can reportedly take three to six months. Hers should be expedited, but she has already missed the team’s first three games. In the preseason game that she was available for, Mühl played 20 minutes off the bench and contributed six points, three rebounds, two assists and a 3-pointer.
First (pre) season point for Nika Muhl! pic.twitter.com/3R4aWEblbi
— Storm Lead (@StormLeadSM) May 8, 2024
Rookie watch:
With how high the expectations are for Caitlin Clark and the rest of this rookie class, we’ll keep an eye on how they are doing as the season progresses.
Clark is the headliner. She was the top pick in the draft for a reason. She brought record-breaking attendance and TV ratings to college basketball, and she’s starting to do the same for the WNBA. She even has alliteration in her name like a comic book character. She’ll continue to help the league grow, and her numbers to start her career have played well for fantasy. She’s averaging 17.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.0 steal and 3.0 triples through her first three games. Luckily, ESPN’s standard scoring doesn’t account for turnovers, since she is averaging 7.0 per game. She’s averaging 32.7 fantasy points per game, which is among the elite guards in the W.
Caitlin Clark logo 3. Never gets old 🤌🏼 pic.twitter.com/p6aGAjNRGc
— Bri Lewerke (@brilewerke) May 18, 2024
After Clark, the Sparks selected Cameron Brink with the second pick of the draft, and she had quickly shown why she was the Defensive Player of the Year in college basketball last season. She is averaging 7.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.5 steals, 3.5 blocks and 1.0 triple per game. That has her averaging 23.0 fantasy points, and she is currently second in the league in blocks per game behind Minnesota’s Alanna Smith (5.0).
She’s literally Anthony Davis pic.twitter.com/7ikLKbQjey
— ¹³ (@LandOfPG) May 18, 2024
LA also drafted Rickea Jackson out of Tennessee with the fourth overall pick, and while she hasn’t made as much of a defensive impact as Brink, Jackson has done more on the offensive end. She has played 20 minutes per game off the bench and averaged 10.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 1.0 triple. Those numbers have resulted in her averaging 15.0 fantasy points per game, and Jackson is one of three rookies that is averaging at least 10 points per game.
THERE YA GO ROOK!
— WNBA (@WNBA) May 18, 2024
Rickea Jackson connects on back-to-back triples for the Sparks on ABC. pic.twitter.com/IEJsUqdYWy
The other rookie that has reached that threshold is Angel Reese, who was Chicago’s second top ten pick of the draft. They selected Kamilla Cardoso with the No. 3 pick, but she has yet to play because of a shoulder injury, and she isn’t expected to make her debut until June. Reese, who they selected with the sixth pick, is averaging 11.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steal per game. That has her averaging 23.5 fantasy points per game, which is second behind Clark among rookies.
Angel Reese gets around TWO defenders for the reverse lay 🔥
— WNBA (@WNBA) May 19, 2024
📺 CHI-DAL on @NBATV pic.twitter.com/4R9rFlcn01
