Brittney Griner

Griner returned to action in 2023 after missing the previous campaign while wrongfully detained in Russia. The superstar center saw slight drops in every major statistical category, but that can likely be attributed to minute restrictions and the Mercury's overall lackluster play. Griner's 27.8 minutes per game last year were her fewest since her rookie campaign in 2013, but she'll likely return to a 30-plus-minute role in 2024, especially if Phoenix is competitive. Griner is technically an unrestricted free agent, but it doesn't sound like she'll be entertaining offers from other teams. When asked if she was planning on signing elsewhere during her exit interview, Griner said, "no, come on now...Phoenix is home, this is where I've been, me and my wife literally just got a place, so nah." When at her best, Griner has proven to be a consistent top-5 fantasy option, but managers can likely get her later in drafts due to looming question marks.

Griner spent the 2022 WNBA season wrongfully detained in Russia, but she was finally released in the offseason and is slated to rejoin the Mercury for the 2023 campaign. Griner averaged 20.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.9 blocks while shooting 57.5 percent from the field in 2021 and has averaged north of 20 points per game in four of her last five WNBA seasons. Assuming the veteran center can return to her previous form, she should claim a starring role again for a Phoenix squad that will be without Skylar Diggins-Smith for at least part of 2023, likely making Griner even more of a fantasy factor. Griner is an elite fantasy option in both points and rotisserie leagues, but her value is boosted a bit more in points leagues because she doesn't get downgraded for a lack of steals and three-point production.

A perennial WNBA All-Star, Griner's 2021 season was no exception. Griner compiled 20.5 points, a career-best 9.5 rebounds and a league-leading 1.9 blocks per contest. She even slightly improved on limited attempts from deep, connecting on four of her nine tries. While Griner's talent would dictate her being among the top players in the league, she is currently detained in Russia. The situation has attracted international attention and it's still very much unclear when Griner may be allowed to return to the United States. As of mid-March, it's quite possible – if not likely – that Griner will be unavailable to begin the 2022 WNBA season.