WNBA DFS Picks and Lineup Tips for Tuesday, July 16

WNBA DFS Picks and Lineup Tips for Tuesday, July 16

WNBA Schedule Today

  • Phoenix Mercury at Washington Mystics
  • Seattle Storm at Los Angeles Sparks
  • Connecticut Sun at New York Liberty
  • Chicago Sky at Las Vegas Aces

RotoWire WNBA DFS Tools

WNBA News

WNBA Lineup Optimizer

Daily Matchups  (Vegas Odds, Team Efficiency, Pace, Opposing Stats)

WNBA Daily Lineups

Value Report

Team Trends

Opponent Averages

Phoenix Mercury at Washington Mystics

Line: Mercury -4.5
O/U: 168.5

Injury Report - Mercury vs. Mystics

Note: All return dates are just estimates

Phoenix

NamePosInjuryStatusDate
Sug SuttonGHamstringOUT8/15/2024
Charisma OsborneGLower LegOUT8/15/2024

Washington

NamePosInjuryStatusDate
Brittney SykesGFootOUT8/15/2024
Karlie SamuelsonGHandOUT8/15/2024
DiDi RichardsGKneeOUT8/15/2024
Shakira AustinCHipOUT8/15/2024
Nastja ClaessensGNot Injury RelatedOFS5/1/2025
Bernadett HatarCNot Injury RelatedOFS5/1/2025

WNBA DFS Showdown Picks and Lineup Building Strategy

The Mercury travel to meet the Mystics, and Phoenix is looking to avoid its third consecutive loss. That would be the team's longest skid since a season-high four-game slide from May 25-31.

The Mystics have dropped three of the past four games while going 2-5 across the past seven. But Washington has been competitive, and they're an amazing 8-1 against the spread in the past nine, and 12-2 ATS in the past 14, for people who also like to make a wager.

These teams met each other back on May 23 in Phoenix, with the Mercury coming away with an 83-80 win. Washington shot just 37.7 percent (26-of-69) and had 17 turnovers. Things could have gone differently in the win-loss column with slightly more accuracy and less sloppiness.

The Mercury shot 43.3 percent (26-of-60) in that first meeting, and they played without Brittney Griner, who was sidelined with a toe injury. Griner is looking like her former self lately, going for 16 points and nine boards in a loss at Connecticut on Sunday, and she has averaged 17.4 points and 5.9 rebounds per game across her past eight outings. She also has averaged 1.2 blocked shots and 1.0 steals per contest in the span.

Kahleah Copper continues to put up huge numbers lately as well, going for 23.3 points per game on the season. She has 32 or more points in three of her past five outings, and she has hit eight three-pointers in the span.

For Phoenix, Charisma Osborne (leg) and Sug Sutton (hamstring) will each be on the shelf.

Seattle Storm at Los Angeles Sparks

Line: Storm -8.5
O/U: 161.5

Injury Report - Storm vs. Sparks

Note: All return dates are just estimates

Seattle

NamePosInjuryStatusReturn
Mackenzie HolmesFKneeOFS5/1/2025

Los Angeles

NamePosInjuryStatusReturn
Lexie BrownGIllnessOUT8/15/2024
Li YueruCNot Injury RelatedOUT8/15/2024
Julie AllemandGAnkleOFS5/1/2025
Cameron BrinkFKneeOFS5/1/2025

WNBA DFS Showdown Picks and Lineup Building Strategy

The Storm and Sparks meet in Southern California, the second meeting of the regular season. Seattle rolled up a 95-79 victory as 11.5-point favorites in the first battle on June 11 in the Pacific Northwest.

For the Sparks, Dearica Hamby was steady in the loss in mid-June, posting 16 points, 11 rebounds and five assists with a pair of triples against the Storm. Li Yueru went for 18 points with seven boards off the bench in 24 minutes in the first battle, but she is sidelined due to overseas commitments. With Cameron Brink done for the season, and Yueru out, the Sparks will be rather undersized in the middle. It could be good news for the Storm's Ezi Magbegor.

The Storm lost Skylar Diggins-Smith to an ankle injury Sunday against Atlanta, but she isn't on the injury report ahead of Tuesday's game. That's great news, as she has averaged 11.2 points, 8.2 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game across her previous five outings.

Seattle's Nneka Ogwumike tied a season-high mark with 26 points in the first meeting with her former team in the Commissioner's Cup battle on June 11. She also had eight boards, two blocked shots and an assist. She has picked up the pace lately, going for 17.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game across her last four outings.

Connecticut Sun at New York Liberty

Line: Liberty -4.5
O/U: 152.5

Injury Report - Sun vs. Liberty

Note: All return dates are just estimates

Connecticut

NamePosInjuryStatusReturn
Moriah JeffersonGAnkleOUT8/16/2024
Leila LacanGNot Injury RelatedOFS5/1/2025
Abbey HsuGNot Injury RelatedOUT5/1/2025

New York

NamePosInjuryStatusReturn
Kayla ThorntonFNeckGTD7/16/2024
Breanna StewartFRestGTD7/16/2024
Nyara SaballyFBackGTD7/16/2024
Betnijah Laney-HamiltonGKneeOUT8/15/2024
Rebekah GardnerGAchillesOFS4/1/2025
Kaitlyn DavisFNot Injury RelatedOFS5/1/2025

WNBA DFS Showdown Picks and Lineup Building Strategy

The Liberty have won 20 games, and they're 1.5 games clear of the Sun for the best record in the WNBA.

With the All-Star and Olympic break upcoming, the Liberty could elect to play it safe with Breanna Stewart and rest her for this giant clash. She missed Saturday's game against Chicago due to a hamstring injury, and New York might decide to keep her sidelined just as a precaution. If the Liberty rest Stewart, Kennedy Burke and Kayla Thornton could see increased run.

Nyara Sabally has been dealing with a back injury all season, and she was sidelined for 11 games due to the ailment. She has amassed 20 minutes across her last two appearances and is a question mark to play Tuesday.

These teams just met at Mohegan Sun Arena last Wednesday, with the Liberty winning 71-68 in a defensive battle.

Stewart was good for 18 points, 14 boards and three blocked shots, so if she is rested, that would be a huge blow. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (knee) will also miss her fourth consecutive game.

Chicago Sky at Las Vegas Aces

Line: Aces -13.5
O/U: 170.5

Injury Report - Sky vs. Aces

Note: All return dates are just estimates

Chicago

NamePosInjuryStatusReturn
Elizabeth WilliamsFKneeOUT5/1/2025
Nikolina MilicCPersonalOUT5/1/2025

Las Vegas

NamePosInjuryStatusReturn
Elizabeth KitleyCKneeOFS5/1/2025

WNBA DFS Showdown Picks and Lineup Building Strategy

The Aces won 95-83 against the Sky on June 27 in the first meeting in the Windy City, and Las Vegas covered as a 10.5-point favorite as the over (173) connected.

Las Vegas was sharp from the field, hitting 50.0 percent (33-of-66) from the field while going 36.0 percent (9-of-25) from behind the arc. It would have been a more lopsided win if the Aces were slightly more efficient from the charity stripe, as they were just 74.1 percent (20-of-27). Kiah Stokes was a beast in the paint, swatting six shots while snaring eight boards.

A'ja Wilson was her usual self, dropping 31 points on 10-of-19 shooting, but she wasn't alone on offense. Jackie Young had 22 points, and Kelsey Plum hit 21 for the Aces, and both players had three triples apiece.

For the Sky, rookie Angel Reese had 18 points with 11 rebounds on 7-of-16 shooting, while Marina Mabrey went for 21 points, six boards and four assists with three triples, while Chennedy Carter had 20 points.

Mabrey continues to do big things, posting 21 points, 12 boards and seven dimes against New York on Saturday. She has four or more assists in 11 straight outings and is averaging 14.8 points, 6.0 assists and 5.5 rebounds over her last four appearances.

WNBA DFS Picks Today

FanDuel

As mentioned above, Magbegor could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of an undersized Sparks team with Brink long gone and Yueru also sidelined. Magbegor has been consistent lately, going for 10 or more points in 12 straight appearances, including four double-doubles. She has also managed at least seven boards in five of six games this month while going for 16 blocked shots in her previous five outings. Ogwumike was amped up to face her former team in the first meeting, and she'll also benefit from the injuries in the interior for Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Young had a lackluster performance Sunday against the Mystics, going for just seven points, five assists and three boards, but she has still posted at least 18 points in five of her last six appearances while also racking up plenty of counting stats elsewhere.

Value Plays

DraftKings

Copper will roll up some big-time offensive totals in Washington against the defensively-challenged Mystics. She has averaged 27.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists in six appearances in July, posting 32 or more points in three of her previous five outings. For Mabrey, she is consistent across the board, and win or lose, she'll be a fixture on the stat sheet in a multitude of ways. Leonie Fiebich will continue to see increased run with Laney-Hamilton, giving you starter's production at a mid-tier DFS price. If Stewart is sidelined, Thornton should be able to exceed salary expectations as long as her neck injury doesn't hold her down.

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.
RotoWire Community
Join Our Subscriber-Only WNBA Chat
Chat with our writers and other RotoWire WNBA fans for all the pre-game info and in-game banter.
Join The Discussion
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Daniel Dobish
Hockey writer, unskilled fourth liner, fantasy and gambling industry veteran, handicapper, FSWA's 2011 fantasy hockey writer of the year nominee and four-time FSWA award winner. Twitter: @danieledobish
WNBA Best Bets Today - Free Picks for Tuesday, September 24
WNBA Best Bets Today - Free Picks for Tuesday, September 24
WNBA Best Bets Today - Free Picks for Thursday, September 19
WNBA Best Bets Today - Free Picks for Thursday, September 19
WNBA DFS Picks and Lineup Tips for Thursday, September 19
WNBA DFS Picks and Lineup Tips for Thursday, September 19
WNBA Best Bets Today - Free Picks for Tuesday, September 17
WNBA Best Bets Today - Free Picks for Tuesday, September 17
WNBA DFS Picks and Lineup Tips for Tuesday, September 17
WNBA DFS Picks and Lineup Tips for Tuesday, September 17
WNBA DFS Picks and Lineup Tips for Sunday, September 15
WNBA DFS Picks and Lineup Tips for Sunday, September 15