WNBA DFS Picks for Tuesday, May 12: Best Lineup Tips, Sleepers and Values

WNBA DFS Picks and Strategy for Tuesday's Matchups

After the first weekend of regular-season action in the WNBA, the 2026 campaign rolls on Tuesday with a three-game slate that features the top two draft picks from this year in Azzi Fudd facing off against Atlanta and Olivia Miles facing the Mercury, while the shorthanded Liberty are heavy favorites over the Fire in Portland's inaugural season.

There were several unexpected starters over the first several games of the season, and there are also a few absences to note ahead of Tuesday's slate.

WNBA Schedule Today

• Atlanta Dream at Dallas Wings
• Minnesota Lynx at Phoenix Mercury
• New York Liberty at Portland Fire

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Atlanta Dream at Dallas Wings

Line: Dream -2.0
O/U: 181.5

Injury Updates and Impact on WNBA DFS Lineups - Dream vs. Wings

Note: All return dates are just estimates

Atlanta

Dallas

Team Previews and DFS Implications for Dream vs. Wings

The Wings will make their College Park Center home debut Tuesday after opening the season with a 107-104 shootout victory at Indiana on Saturday. Dallas looked like a completely different team than the one that finished last in offensive efficiency in 2025, shooting 59.1 percent from the field and knocking down 12 three-pointers at a 52.5 percent clip. Arike Ogunbowale led the way with 22 points and five assists, while Paige Bueckers (20 points, 4 assists) reminded everyone why she earned second-team All-WNBA honors as a rookie in 2025. Odyssey Sims provided an instant-offense spark off the bench with 20 points, and new head coach Jose Fernandez's three-guard system featuring Ogunbowale, Bueckers and Azzi Fudd created matchup problems throughout the game. Fudd is listed as probable with a knee issue but is expected to suit up for her first home game. Jessica Shepard flirted with a triple-double in the opener, and Alanna Smith — the 2025 Co-Defensive Player of the Year who was signed away from Minnesota during the offseason — should be available after dealing with a face injury during the opener. Maddy Siegrist will also factor in as a frontcourt contributor, making this a deep team from a DFS perspective with multiple viable entry points across the salary spectrum.

Atlanta erased a 19-point deficit to stun the Lynx 91-90 on Saturday, with Allisha Gray scoring 16 of her 24 points in the second half to fuel the comeback. Angel Reese made an immediate impact in her Dream debut, posting 11 points and 14 rebounds with three blocks while becoming the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 50 career double-doubles in just 65 games. Te-Hina Paopao hit the go-ahead pull-up jumper with 12 seconds remaining, and Jordin Canada drove for a crucial bucket down the stretch, showing that head coach Karl Smesko's squad has plenty of options beyond its top two scorers. Rhyne Howard should be considered a viable DFS option as the Dream's primary perimeter creator, and Reese's rebounding floor gives her significant DFS value even on a modest scoring night. With Brionna Jones (knee) out indefinitely, Naz Hillmon will continue to absorb frontcourt minutes alongside Reese. The 181.5 over/under is the highest on the slate by a wide margin, which makes this the top game to target for stacking, and both teams have multiple players worth considering across all salary tiers.

Minnesota Lynx at Phoenix Mercury

Line: Mercury -3.5
O/U: 169.5

Injury Updates and Impact on WNBA DFS Lineups - Lynx vs. Mercury

Note: All return dates are just estimates

Minnesota

Phoenix

Team Previews and DFS Implications for Lynx vs. Mercury

The Mercury picked up right where they left off after their run to the 2025 WNBA Finals, opening the season with a dominant 99-66 blowout of defending champion Las Vegas before dropping a game to Golden State. Alyssa Thomas has been the league's most well-rounded player through two games, averaging 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 10.0 assists — a near triple-double line that makes her one of the safest DFS plays on any slate. Jovana Nogic made an immediate impression in her WNBA debut, pouring in 19 points while shooting 4-for-5 from beyond the arc against the Aces, and she should remain in the starting lineup with Sami Whitcomb (knee) expected to be sidelined until mid-June. Natasha Mack posted a double-double in the opener with 10 points and 15 rebounds, while Kahleah Copper and DeWanna Bonner provided additional scoring punch. Monique Akoa Makani (overseas) and Valeriane Ayayi (overseas) also remain unavailable, but head coach Nate Tibbetts has plenty of depth to work with, and Kyara Linskens could see an expanded role as a versatile frontcourt option off the bench.

Minnesota enters Tuesday's matchup in a difficult spot after blowing a 19-point lead in Saturday's 91-90 loss to Atlanta. The Lynx lost six of their top eight contributors from 2025 to free agency and the expansion draft, and they'll be without five-time All-Star Napheesa Collier (ankle) until at least early June following surgeries on both ankles this offseason. Dorka Juhasz (foot) is also sidelined, further thinning an already depleted frontcourt. The bright spot is rookie point guard Olivia Miles, the No. 2 overall pick, who was outstanding in her debut with 21 points, eight assists, two steals and two blocks while running the offense with poise beyond her years. Kayla McBride added 20 points and should continue operating as the team's top scoring option, while Courtney Williams, who re-signed on a two-year max contract, provides veteran backcourt stability. Beyond those three, however, Minnesota's rotation is thin, and head coach Cheryl Reeve will need contributions from newcomers like Natasha Howard, Nia Coffey and Emma Cechova. Miles and McBride are the primary DFS targets here due to their elevated usage, while the Lynx's defensive limitations without Collier should also create value for Phoenix's skill positions.

New York Liberty at Portland Fire

Line: Liberty -12.5
O/U: 173.5

Injury Updates and Impact on WNBA DFS Lineups - Liberty vs. Fire

Note: All return dates are just estimates

New York

Portland

Team Previews and DFS Implications for Liberty vs. Fire

Despite missing half their roster, the Liberty have been the most impressive team in the early going. New York opened the season with a 31-point demolition of the Sun and followed it up with another convincing win in Washington, averaging 102 points per game in head coach Chris DeMarco's new offensive system. Breanna Stewart has looked rejuvenated after a disappointing 2025 campaign in which she failed to make an All-WNBA team for the first time since 2019, erupting for 31 points and 10 rebounds in the opener. Marine Johannes has been sensational in Sabrina Ionescu's absence, averaging 21 points per game while shooting 50 percent from three-point range, and she's emerged as one of the best DFS values on any given slate until her salary catches up. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton has also been solid in her return after missing all of last season due to a knee injury, leading the team in plus-minus against the Mystics. Jonquel Jones continues to provide a reliable floor with scoring, rebounding and passing from the center position. With Ionescu (foot), Satou Sabally (illness), Rebecca Allen (leg) and Leonie Fiebich (overseas) all unavailable, the Liberty players who are available will continue to see elevated minutes and usage, making them premium DFS targets even at higher salary points. Julie Vanloo, who was signed to a hardship contract before the opener, could also provide value at a lower price point if she remains in the rotation.

Portland is searching for its first win in franchise history after dropping its inaugural game to the Sky. The Fire are one of the league's two expansion teams for 2026 and are still very much in roster-discovery mode under head coach Alex Sarama. Bridget Carleton was the first overall pick in the expansion draft and is the team's most established player, having averaged 6.5 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists in a bench role for Minnesota last year. In a larger role as Portland's primary option, those numbers should rise meaningfully. Carla Leite, the 21-year-old EuroCup Women Finals MVP from 2025, has the most long-term upside of any Fire player and could provide DFS value at a minimum salary if she earns consistent minutes. Emily Engstler, Luisa Geiselsoder and Megan Gustafson round out the frontcourt. Sug Sutton (knee) and Kamiah Smalls (knee) are both listed as questionable, and Karlie Samuelson (foot) and Teja Oblak (quadriceps) are out, which could further limit the Fire's backcourt depth. The 12.5-point spread is the largest on the slate, but the 173.5 over/under suggests both teams should put up points, meaning there's DFS value to be found on both sides if you're willing to take a flier on a Fire player at a minimum price in tournament contests.

Top WNBA DFS Picks: Key Players to Watch

FanDuel

• Alyssa Thomas ($8,900)
• Paige Bueckers ($7,800)
• Jonquel Jones ($6,300)

Thomas has been the league's most complete stat-stuffer through two games, averaging 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 10.0 assists, and she should continue feasting against a Lynx frontcourt that lost both Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard in free agency and is playing without Napheesa Collier. Bueckers posted 20 points and four assists in her season debut at Indiana, and the energy of the Wings' home opener in a game with the slate's highest over/under (181.5) should give the reigning Rookie of the Year ample opportunity to exceed her salary in Fernandez's up-tempo three-guard system. The 2024 MVP has quietly been one of New York's most reliable contributors with Ionescu and Sabally sidelined, and Jones should have her way against Portland's thin expansion-team frontcourt in a game where the Liberty are 12.5-point favorites with a 173.5 over/under.

Unlocking Value: WNBA DFS Sleeper Picks

• Emily Engstler ($4,300)
• Han Xu ($3,800)

DraftKings

• Angel Reese ($9,500)
• Kahleah Copper ($8,500)
• Natasha Howard ($7,700)

Reese posted 11 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks in her Dream debut while becoming the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 50 career double-doubles, and the two-time league rebounding leader should have another monster line on the glass against a Dallas frontcourt that will be focused on slowing Atlanta's perimeter creators in a game with a slate-high 181.5 over/under. Copper is an elite scorer capable of erupting on any given night, and she draws a favorable matchup against a depleted Lynx perimeter that lost DiJonai Carrington, Natisha Hiedeman and Bridget Carleton in the offseason, giving her plenty of room to attack off the dribble alongside playmaker Alyssa Thomas. Howard was signed during the offseason to provide veteran frontcourt depth for the Lynx, and with Collier (ankle) and Juhasz (foot) sidelined, Howard should see significant minutes as one of Minnesota's few experienced interior options against a physical Phoenix frontcourt led by Natasha Mack.

Unlocking Value: WNBA DFS Sleeper Picks

• Jovana Nogic ($5,000)
• Odyssey Sims ($4,300)