WNBA DFS Picks for Saturday, May 9: Best Lineup Strategy, Sleepers & Values

WNBA DFS Picks and Strategy for Saturday's Matchups

Following the three-game slate to begin the regular season Friday, the WNBA season rolls on Saturday with the largest slate of the weekend, as four games will take place. Some of the top young talent in the league will face off in a matinee showdown when the Wings take on the Fever, while there will also be a rematch of the 2025 WNBA Finals between the Mercury and Aces.

Although it's Opening Night for the teams playing Saturday, there are several injury situations to monitor while preparing DFS lineups.

WNBA Schedule Today

• Dallas Wings at Indiana Fever
• Phoenix Mercury at Las Vegas Aces
• Atlanta Dream at Minnesota Lynx
• Chicago Sky at Portland Fire

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Dallas Wings at Indiana Fever

Line: Liberty -9.5
O/U: 160

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

Note: All return dates are just estimates

Dallas

Indiana

Team Previews and DFS Implications for Wings vs. Fever

The Wings had the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft for a second consecutive year this spring and selected Azzi Fudd -- Paige Bueckers' college teammate -- to join an already talented backcourt. Although Arike Ogunbowale was an unrestricted free agent during the offseason, she elected to remain in Dallas, which slightly limits her fantasy upside given the talent around her but provides veteran stability for the up-and-coming team. In the frontcourt, the Wings brought in Alanna Smith (face) and Jessica Shepard while retaining Maddy Siegrist, making this an intriguing team to watch heading into the 2026 campaign. The team's young players will likely need slightly more development before they enter the conversation for a deep playoff run, but Dallas certainly has the potential to be much more competitive this year.

Caitlin Clark is back. Following her injury-plagued 2025 campaign, the superstar guard was cleared to return to action ahead of training camp and should immediately reclaim her status as one of the league's most productive players. Clark hadn't dealt with many injuries prior to last year's absence, so it wouldn't be surprising to see her have plenty of availability in 2026. Like Ogunbowale, Kelsey Mitchell was an unrestricted free agent, and her personal production may have benefitted from departing Indiana, but she elected to remain in the organization as part of the Fever's Big Three that includes Clark, Mitchell and Aliyah Boston, while Myisha Hines-Allen will also join the fold this season.

Phoenix Mercury at Las Vegas Aces

Line: Mystics -1.0
O/U: 160.5

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

Note: All return dates are just estimates

Phoenix

Las Vegas

Team Previews and DFS Implications for Mercury vs. Aces

Four of the Mercury's five starters seem set for Saturday's regular-season opener, as Alyssa Thomas, Kahleah Copper, DeWanna Bonner and Natasha Mack will presumably handle most of the work for Phoenix, while the team is also dealing with several absences to begin the 2026 campaign. Monique Akoa Makani and Sami Whitcomb figure to be fantasy-relevant contributors when available this year, but both are facing multi-game absences to begin the regular season, as Akoa Makani is overseas, while Whicomb is dealing with a knee injury. Kiana Williams, Anneli Maley and Kyara Linskens are among the candidates to provide DFS value depending on their roles, but Thomas, Copper, Bonner and Mack are certainly the safest options to deliver production.

The Aces had a more inconsistent regular season than usual in 2025, but they righted the ship late in the year and ultimately won their third championship in the past four years. They managed to retain most of their key players during the offseason, as A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, Jewell Loyd and Kierstan Bell will all be back with the team in 2026, while Las Vegas also brought in NaLyssa Smith and Chennedy Carter. The Aces have the talent to make yet another deep run in 2026, and they seem to have a favorable matchup at home against the shorthanded Mercury to begin the year.

Atlanta Dream at Minnesota Lynx

Line: Valkyries -5.0
O/U: 156.5

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

Note: All return dates are just estimates

Atlanta

Minnesota

Team Previews and DFS Implications for Dream vs. Lynx

In an offseason filled with plenty of personnel moves, the Dream made one of the most prominent and surprising transactions by acquiring Angel Reese from Chicago in exchange for a pair of first-round picks. The Dream lost Brittney Griner to the Sun during the offseason, but Reese will help to fill the void while playing alongside Rhyne Howard. Brionna Jones will round out a potent frontcourt trio once she's healthy, but she underwent an offseason knee procedure and doesn't yet have a timetable to return. In the backcourt, Allisha Gray and Jordin Canada elected to stick around, and the Dream will have among the most talented starting lineups in the league once Jones returns to action. During Saturday's matchup, Te-Hina Paopao, Naz Hillmon and Madina Okot could provide some DFS value depending on how the workload is distributed in Jones' absence, but it's not yet clear who will emerge outside of the Dream's core group.

The Lynx had a stellar regular season in 2025 but were unable to carry their momentum into the playoffs, as they lost to the Mercury in four games during the WNBA semifinals. Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard left for Dallas during the offseason, but Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride will be back in the fold this year. Napheesa Collier also re-signed with the team but will miss the first several weeks of the season due to an ankle injury. To help compensate for the team's offseason losses, the Lynx acquired Natasha Howard and should get Dorka Juhasz (foot) back at some point after she missed the entire 2025 campaign. Despite Minnesota's success in 2025, the team had Chicago's first-round pick in this year's draft and selected Olivia Miles with the No. 2 pick, and Miles should have plenty of opportunities to contribute early on while Collier and Juhasz are sidelined.

Chicago Sky at Portland Fire

Line: Valkyries -5.0
O/U: 156.5

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

Note: All return dates are just estimates

Chicago

Portland

Team Previews and DFS Implications for Sky vs. Fire

Although the Sky traded two of their top players in Angel Reese and Ariel Atkins this spring, the Sky made several intriguing acquisitions during the offseason that should help them be competitive around incumbents Kamilla Cardoso and Courtney Vandersloot (knee). Skylar Diggins will provide veteran leadership in the backcourt, while the Sky acquired Rickea Jackson in the Atkins trade and brought in another solid contributor from Los Angeles in Azura Stevens (knee). Chicago also made a splash just before the start of the regular season by signing Natasha Cloud (illness). Although the Sky could be an intriguing team this year, they'll be shorthanded during Saturday's regular-season opener, with Diggins, Jackson, Cardoso and Jacy Sheldon poised to shoulder the load.

After the Tempo narrowly fell during their Opening Night matchup Friday, the Fire will attempt to pick up their first win in franchise history as one of the league's two expansion franchises for 2026. The Fire selected Bridget Carleton with the first overall pick in the 2026 WNBA Expansion Draft, while Carla Leite, Luisa Geiselsoder and Emily Engstler are among the other candidates to handle sizable roles this year. It's not yet clear exactly how the rotation will look during the Fire's inaugural season, but that uncertainty could lead to some opportunities to find value in DFS contests.

Top WNBA DFS Picks: Key Players to Watch

FanDuel

• Alanna Smith ($5,300)
• Rickea Jackson ($4,400)
• Carla Leite ($4,300)

Although Smith enters Saturday's matchup on the injury report due to a face injury, she's probable and will likely be able to suit up for her new team as she attempts to build upon her momentum from her 2025 campaign in which she was named the co-Defensive Player of the Year. The Sky will be shorthanded Saturday, and Jackson could have an opportunity to make a strong impression with her new team. Leite has experience playing with new expansion franchises in their inaugural seasons after playing for Golden State last year, and she could play a crucial role as the Fire navigate their first season.

Unlocking Value: WNBA DFS Sleeper Picks

• NaLyssa Smith ($4,100)
• Jacy Sheldon ($3,500)

DraftKings

• Kamilla Cardoso ($7,300)
• Luisa Geiselsoder ($5,000)
• Natasha Mack ($3,600)

Cardoso is one of the few incumbent players who is slated to handle a prominent role for the Sky during Saturday's matchup, and that familiarity with head coach Tyler Marsh's system will presumably help her provide DFS value. On the other side of the floor, Geiselsoder performed well while operating mainly as a starter last year and could take advantage of the shorthanded Chicago squad on Opening Night. Mack will likely have an opportunity to step into a larger role in 2026, as the Mercury lost Satou Sabally to the Liberty despite retaining frontcourt stalwarts Alyssa Thomas and DeWanna Bonner.

Unlocking Value: WNBA DFS Sleeper Picks

• Nia Coffey ($3,500)
• Kierstan Bell ($3,000)