WNBA Player News

The undefeated Lynx could be without their best player on Friday, as Collier is questionable. Last season’s MVP runner-up has been one of the best performers in fantasy basketball, and her absence would leave a sizable hole in the Lynx lineup. Jessica Shepard and Alissa Pili would figure more prominently in the rotation if Collier cannot play, with the former offering a higher fantasy ceiling.

Bueckers will make her return to the starting lineup after a concussion and an illness sidelined her for a four-game stretch. The first overall pick’s offensive contributions were greatly missed by the Wings, who averaged 76 points per game in her absence, which included a 65-point outing in the team’s most recent contest to extend their losing streak to five games. Whether or not Dallas’ offense hits its stride immediately, it’ll at the very least hope Bueckers’ return gets the team back in the win column. The Wings currently own the worst record in the WNBA.

Having spent parts of the 2021 and 2023 seasons in Las Vegas, winning a championship ring during the latter, Holmes is back with the Aces. She played 27 games off the bench for Seattle in 2024, averaging 2.9 points and 1.8 rebounds in 8.6 minutes. Holmes’ return to Las Vegas coincided with the Aces waiving Crystal Bradford.

Back in the WNBA for the first time since 2021, Bradford appeared in four games for the Aces this season. The veteran forward averaged six minutes per game in those four appearances, having minimal impact in Las Vegas. The Aces’ decision to waive Bradford coincides with the signing of Joyner Holmes, who appeared in 27 games for the Storm last season and was one of Dallas’ final cuts during the preseason.

Thomas is back after missing five games with a calf injury. Her return means Kitija Laksa will head to the bench, where her already-limited fantasy value takes a significant hit. During Wednesday’s pregame shootaround, Phoenix used a starting lineup of Thomas, Monique Akoa Akani, Sami Whitcomb, Satou Sabally and Kathryn Westbeld. That’s the same five who started games before Thomas’ calf injury.

For the first time this season, the Mercury will be without their backup center. Brown will not play due to an illness, but the Mercury should have the depth needed to compensate for her absence. In addition to the return of starter Alyssa Thomas (calf), Phoenix welcomes Natasha Mack into the fold. The veteran forward will make her season debut after missing the first ten games with a back injury.

Mack has been cleared to make her season debut after missing Phoenix’s first 10 games with a back injury. The veteran forward’s return comes at a good time, as the Mercury will be without backup Kalani Brown due to an illness. Fantasy managers should not expect Mack to be an impactful performer in her season debut, but she will play rotation minutes.

Atkins scored efficiently but struggled on Tuesday as a floor general in the Sky’s first game without Courtney Vandersloot, who tore her ACL in Saturday’s loss to Indiana. Atkins entered Tuesday averaging 3.1 assists per game, but went without an assist for the first time all season against an incredibly tough Liberty defense that also forced the veteran into a season-high five turnovers along the way. There could be an adjustment period for Atkins as she steps into more of a playmaking role. Still, she’ll have the ball in her hands often, which should ultimately lead to productive outings as the season progresses.

Reese logged her best offensive game of the season on Tuesday, posting season-highs in points and shooting efficiency while adding her second made three-pointer of the season. Her 8-of-13 shooting marked the first time this season the sophomore forward finished above 50 percent from the field, and the double-digit rebounds she accumulated netted her fourth double-double of the season. Reese has taken positive steps forward in recent games, which should be encouraging for fantasy managers. She’ll look to string together consecutive strong games when the Sky face the Dream on Friday.

Sabally returned on Tuesday from a six-game absence due to a knee injury that had sidelined her for much of the season. Her return coincided with Jonquel Jones’ absence (ankle), which led the third-year forward to the first start of her WNBA career. Sabally didn’t miss a single shot en route to a new season-high in scoring, while making subtle contributions across the board in just 15 minutes. She’ll likely continue to start in Jones’ place should the 2024 Finals MVP remain out with the ankle injury, making Sabally a streaming option with upside in fantasy leagues.

Stewart logged just 27 minutes in New York’s lopsided win over Chicago on Tuesday, but still managed to put forth a quality game from a fantasy standpoint. The two-time MVP shot efficiently and nearly scored 20 points, despite continuing to struggle from beyond the arc, while also leaving her mark as a facilitator. Stewart has only played 30 or more minutes in three of New York’s nine games to begin the season, as blowout wins are preventing her from more dominant numbers from a fantasy standpoint. Such could remain the case moving forward, which could be a tough pill to swallow for fantasy managers.