WNBA DFS Breakdown: Thursday

WNBA DFS Breakdown: Thursday

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LINEUP OPTIMIZER

DAILY MATCHUPS  (Vegas Odds, Team Efficiency, Pace, Opposing Stats)

DAILY LINEUPS

VALUE REPORT

TEAM TRENDS

OPPONENT AVERAGES

DraftKings and FanDuel Top Values (RotoWire Optimizer)

Top 5 FanDuel

PLAYERPOSTEAMSALFPTSVAL
Theresa PlaisanceFWAS650044.366.8
Amanda Zahui BFLA510033.036.5
Tina CharlesFWAS900055.086.1
Ariel AtkinsGWAS710038.215.4
Kelsey MitchellGIND620030.915

Top 5 DraftKings

PLAYERPOSTEAMSALFPTSVAL
Theresa PlaisanceFWAS880044.025
Tina CharlesFWAS1150056.64.9
Amanda Zahui BFLA810032.854.1
Marina MabreyGDAL780031.034
Ariel AtkinsGWAS990038.693.9

Chicago Sky at New York Liberty

Injuries

Note: All return dates are just estimates

Chicago

NamePosInjuryStatusReturn
Astou Ndour-FallCNot Injury RelatedOUT7/10/2021
Maria CondeFPersonalOUT5/1/2022
Leonie FiebichFPersonalOUT5/1/2022

New York

NamePosInjuryStatusReturn
Natasha HowardCKneeOUT7/5/2021
Nayo Raincock-EkunweFNot Injury RelatedOUT5/1/2022
Asia DurrGIllnessOUT5/1/2022
Han XuCNot Injury RelatedOUT5/1/2022
Marine JohannesGNot Injury RelatedOUT5/1/2022
Jocelyn WilloughbyFAchillesOUT5/1/2022

2021 Player Stats

Chicago

PlayerPTSREBASTSTLBLK3PM3PAFGMFGAFTMFTA
Kahleah Copper13.94.91.51.30.10.82.74.911.93.23.7
Diamond DeShields12.54.12.71.40.30.92.74.110.63.34
Courtney Vandersloot11.93.58.620.71.33.54.510.61.71.8
Ruthy Hebard9.16.4110.900.13.76.71.62.1
Allie Quigley12.21.62.20.70.31.43.34.19.62.62.8
Candace Parker13.18.64.10.91.11.43.94.410.32.93.6
Astou Ndour-Fall10.17.60.30.410.72.83.48.82.62.8
Azura Stevens6.54.510.90.40.81.82.25.41.51.6
Stefanie Dolson7.93.61.20.30.80.81.73.36.80.40.4
Dana Evans3.30.40.80.300.51.90.62.91.51.5
Stephanie Watts2.53.70.50.50.30.21.70.73.211.3
Lexie Brown211.5000.52.30.83.300
Shyla Heal20.80.80000.80.321.51.5
Natasha Mack21.3000000.710.70.7
Brittany Boyd-Jones212100.510.520.51

New York

PlayerPTSREBASTSTLBLK3PM3PAFGMFGAFTMFTA
Betnijah Laney19.84.15.30.50.11.23.67.414.73.74.8
Sami Whitcomb10.95.52.81.20.62.45.43.87.50.91.1
Sabrina Ionescu11.66.36.30.60.525.63.39.93.13.6
Michaela Onyenwere9.12.60.60.40.51.64.53.18.41.21.5
Rebecca Allen9.23.311.81.11.75.53.29.81.21.4
Kylee Shook6.44.11.70.60.60.92.52.86.400
Jazmine Jones6.22.71.40.60.50.71.62.35.50.91.2
Reshanda Gray6.53.20.30.20.200.72.351.82.5
Natasha Howard14.56.520011.5593.54
Leaonna Odom4.80.810.30.50.51.52.2400.2
DiDi Richards1.510.80.60.20.10.40.61.80.20.3
Kiah Stokes1.94.70.70.60.60.10.30.91.600
Joyner Holmes00100000000
Layshia Clarendon00000000000

The Skinny

On fire, the Sky prepare for a rematch with a Liberty squad they dismantled by 20 points Tuesday and are listed as 7.5-point favorites for Thursday's contest with the highest expected score (88.75) on the slate. Chicago has taken things in a winning direction since Candace Parker's return to the floor, riding a six-game winning streak into Thursday's action. Parker's 13.1 points per game are only topped by Kahleah Copper's 13.9, though Parker also leads the team in rebounds (8.6) and ranks second in assists (4.1) per game behind just Courtney Vandersloot (8.6). The team's offensive efficiency numbers don't look great overall at this point but that is because of the tough stretch the club endured during Parker's absence. Since Parker's return on June 9, the Sky haven's scored fewer than 81 points and are averaging 90.7 points per game.

The Liberty went down on the other end of Tuesday's loss and things don't figure to shape up a ton better for the rematch. New York really needs Sabrina Ionescu to find her shooting form again, having connected on just 18.8 percent of her attempts from the field and 20.0 percent of her shots from deep in her last six appearances. Betnijah Laney remains the primary source of scoring for the team and the Liberty will likely need to be connecting from deep at an efficient rate Thursday for a chance to keep things close. New York does sport the league's third-best shooting percentage from deep and the highest three-point attempt rate, but Chicago typically allows the fewest three-point attempts in the league and a conversion rate that isn't particularly high (33.7 percent).

Dallas Wings at Indiana Fever

Injuries

Note: All return dates are just estimates

Dallas

NamePosInjuryStatusReturn
Marina MabreyGAnkleGTD6/24/2021
Bella AlarieGHeadGTD6/24/2021
Imani McGee-StaffordCPersonalSUSP5/1/2022

Indiana

NamePosInjuryStatusReturn
Jantel LavenderCAnkleGTD6/24/2021
Florencia ChagasGPersonalOUT10/1/2021
Temi FagbenleFPersonalOUT5/1/2022
Julie AllemandGNot Injury RelatedOUT5/1/2022

2021 Player Stats

Dallas

PlayerPTSREBASTSTLBLK3PM3PAFGMFGAFTMFTA
Arike Ogunbowale20.33.43.51.202.66.76.616.94.65.3
Marina Mabrey15.45.12.91.40.42.46.35.712.71.61.8
Kayla Thornton9.26.11.80.60.10.81.73.36.41.82.2
Isabelle Harrison7.96.10.90.80.600.13.27.41.41.8
Satou Sabally13.15.51.90.30.41.13.34.410.43.34.1
Tyasha Harris6.61.93.30.90.40.92.62.36.11.11.2
Allisha Gray9.83.71.81.10.60.62.83.49.92.32.8
Moriah Jefferson4.91.720.90.10.91.91.94.90.20.2
Charli Collier3.84.10.20.10.2001.73.40.40.7
Bella Alarie2.23.80.50.40.800.20.91.90.30.3
Kristine Anigwe2.3200.3000120.30.7
Dana Evans0.800.5000.20.50.210.30.3
Awak Kuier11.80.400.200.60.210.60.8
Chelsea Dungee0.40.10000.10.40.10.500

Indiana

PlayerPTSREBASTSTLBLK3PM3PAFGMFGAFTMFTA
Kelsey Mitchell15.52.12.410.31.86.35.714.32.22.7
Tiffany Mitchell11.42.91.90.500.31.73.99.53.33.7
Teaira McCowan11.18.910.51.3004.58.42.23.5
Danielle Robinson8.73.23.41.70.10.31.13.381.92.1
Jessica Breland7.97.32.50.71.70.30.73.58.40.50.9
Jantel Lavender6.44.41.700.10.10.82.97.30.60.7
Victoria Vivians5.71.70.90.50.10.83.325.70.90.9
Lindsay Allen3.41.52.40.20.10.211.22.80.81.1
Kysre Gondrezick2.41.21.10.500.51.70.92.90.10.3
Bernadett Hatar62.80.300.5002.5511
Lauren Cox1.31.80.30.40.30.10.20.51.70.20.2
Chelsey Perry0.50.500.5000010.51

The Skinny

The Wings enter Thursday in a prime spot to bounce back from a loss to the Sun with an Indiana club on the schedule that has lost all but one game so far this season. The Fever rank among th worst in the league defensively across the board, which bodes well for a high scoring output from the Wings players despite Dallas' below-average pace. The Wings may not get quite as many rebounds as usual given that the Fever sport a slate-best 51.9 percent rebound rate, but the Fever also allow a 53.2 effective field goal percentage that ranks second-highest in the league while sporting the sorest eFG% (44.5) on the offensive end of the floor. Given that the Fever typically face a barrage of three-point shots (23.0 per game on average) and opponents are converting 40.9 percent of them, this may be an area of production for the likes of Arike Ogunbowale and Marina Mabrey. Those two typically top the Wings' scoring list anyway, with Ogunbowalle tallying 20.3 points per game and Mabrey at 15.4 per game. Satou Sabally rounds out the double-digit scorers (13.1 per game) and the primary fantasy contributors, though Kayla Thornton (9.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game) can put up some solid numbers on a given night.

As mentioned above, Indiana is looking to pick up just its second win of the season. On the plus side, the Fever have been hanging around recently, losing by five to the Mystics last time out and by 10 to the Storm the game prior. While much of the rotation sees minutes fluctuate from game to game, Kelsey Mitchell has at least been a steady presence on the floor, playing no fewer than 31 minutes over the last six games. She hasn't been particularly efficient from deep recently, knocking down just one of 10 shots in the last two games, but she's the only one averaging more than a make per game from deep and faces a Dallas defense that forces the opposing team to shoot from deep often, a slate-high 23.1 times per game. Mitchell is best-equipped to take the majority of those attempts, though it's worth noting opponents are connecting on a slate-low 30.9 percent of those attempts. The Wings also send the opposition to the free-throw line often, which bodes well for Mitchell and Teaira McCowan. McCowan has tallied in double-figures in three of the last four games and has collected a pair of double-doubles in that span despite assuming a bench role for the last five games.

Washington Mystics at Los Angeles Sparks

Injuries

Note: All return dates are just estimates

Washington

NamePosInjuryStatusReturn
Natasha CloudGAnkleOUT6/26/2021
Myisha Hines-AllenFKneeOUT6/26/2021
Kiara LeslieGConcussionOUT6/26/2021
Elena Delle DonneFBackOUT7/15/2021
Erica McCallFKneeOUT8/15/2021
Alysha ClarkFFootOUT5/1/2022
Klara LundquistGSuspensionOUT5/1/2022

Los Angeles

NamePosInjuryStatusReturn
Chiney OgwumikeFKneeOUT6/30/2021
Nneka OgwumikeFKneeOUT7/2/2021
Maria VadeevaCSuspensionOUT8/1/2021
Ivana RacaFNot Injury RelatedOUT5/1/2022
Jasmine WalkerFKneeOUT5/1/2022
Aina AyusoGNot Injury RelatedOUT5/1/2022
Gabby WilliamsFSuspensionOUT5/1/2022

2021 Player Stats

Washington

PlayerPTSREBASTSTLBLK3PM3PAFGMFGAFTMFTA
Tina Charles25.39.62.20.90.71.95.59.520.84.45.2
Ariel Atkins18.32.92.91.20.72.76.1613.13.64.1
Myisha Hines-Allen147.12.31.10.50.625.4132.63.4
Theresa Plaisance7.14.71.30.80.81.33.82.66.90.50.6
Natasha Cloud6.93.75.71.40.20.83.32.36.81.61.8
Leilani Mitchell5.71.92.90.70.11.54.91.86.10.50.5
Sydney Wiese5.81.71.70.301.44.11.850.80.9
Shavonte Zellous3.421.10.40.10.21.31.13.611.1
Erica McCall4.250.60.20.200.11.63.311.7
Kiara Leslie3.12.10.30.400.30.812.80.91
Stella Johnson20.50.300.20.30.80.51.30.70.7
Megan Gustafson26000011200
Jillian Alleyne0200.50000100

Los Angeles

PlayerPTSREBASTSTLBLK3PM3PAFGMFGAFTMFTA
Erica Wheeler12.82.84.51.30.20.82.34.711.52.73.2
Kristi Toliver10.21.42.40.701.64.33.88.81.11.2
Nia Coffey9.23.90.91.11.61.73.83.47.60.71
Amanda Zahui B.10.35.70.60.81.41.454.19.40.70.9
Brittney Sykes7.54.41.81.90.50.31.32.87.71.62.3
Te'a Cooper81.71.20.90.30.62.22.58.12.32.9
Nneka Ogwumike16.471.20.60.20.41.26.811.62.43
Bria Holmes53.21.50.90.40.72.21.960.51.1
Arella Guirantes3.31.40.50.50.20.51.11.24.10.40.6
Chiney Ogwumike95.720.70.30.713.39.71.72.3
Kristine Anigwe3.630.80.60001.22.61.22.4
Karlie Samuelson1.51.510.500.51.30.51.800
Jasmine Walker00.5110.50202.501

The Skinny

Once again, the Mystics figure to be extremely shorthanded, which means big minutes and fantasy value for a lot of the regulars in the rotation. RotoWire's optimizer particularly likes the values of Theresa Plaisance, Tina Charles and Ariel Atkins on Thursday, with each of the three ranking in the top-five value plays on both sites. All three have played a least 32 minutes in each o the last two games and figure to see that same workload tonight barring a late change in status of some of the unavailable Mystics players. Charles has posted 30-plus points in back-to-back games versus Seattle and Indiana and gets a matchup with a Sparks team also dealing with some injuries in the frontcourt with both Ogwumike sisters sidelined. Charles averages 9.6 rebounds per contest and could feast again Thursday against a Sparks team that allows the opposition to rebound at a slate-best 57.6 percent rate. Atkins is the only other healthy player averaging in double figures for the Mystics, notching 18.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. Plaisance isn't quite as huge in the fantasy realm but has put up huge numbers of late, averaging 17 points and nine rebounds over the last three games.

The Sparks enter Thursday with a slate-low 76.5 expected score thanks to the relatively slow pace expected for the contest and a lack of offensive efficiency, checking in last in the league. Backing that up is the team's 45.3 eFG%, likely due to the team's league-worst 42.7 percent conversion rate from inside the arc. The Sparks do pressure opposing teams into turnorvers often and may need to rely on the three-point game to keep this contest close. The Mystics do let opponents get good looks from outside, allowing them to knock down 39.4 percent of their shots from deep. Nia Coffey, Kristi Tolliver and Amanda Zahui B are the primary scorers from beyond the arc and could see a boost in the scoring column as a result. Zahui B's salary sits at a fairly low point due to some recent foul trouble that has caused some issues, but they will likely rely on her for a good chunk of minutes against Tina Charles.

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. Chris Benzine plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: Crispy272001, DraftKings: Crispy27.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Benzine
Chris is the college football editor and the Kansas City Chiefs beat writer. He's a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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