Fantasy women’s hoops: Four potential pickups heading into the breakSydney Taylor is scoring consistently for the Sky as they head into All-Star week. Jordan Godfree-Imagn ImagesESPN FantasyJul 20, 2026, 05:58 PM ETClose
The daily news and notes around the WNBA have actionable value when applied to fantasy women’s basketball. From lineup changes to hot streaks to injury news, check this page regularly for updates from ESPN’s fantasy analysts Eric Moody and André Snellings. It’s never too late to sign up for your own ESPN league. Create or join a league, and play for free today!
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Two game days to leverage heading into the All-Star break
Andre Snelling: It’s All-Star Week, with the break starting Thursday and running through the end of the week. With no games scheduled Tuesday, the only action on the schedule is Monday and Wednesday. Keep in mind, though, that this week’s fantasy game will actually last two weeks through Sunday, Aug. 2.
Still, in the short term, we want to maximize the games played this week. And since the two game days this week are packed, with four matchups Monday and six Wednesday, let’s make sure your fantasy squads maximize their production potential by pointing out a few players playing well who might be available in your league.
Four players to pick up:
Leila Lacan, G, Connecticut Sun (rostered in 41.2% of ESPN leagues): Lacan will be a fixture in this space until her rostered percentage gets up over 50%. She has been playing like a fantasy starter for almost a month now and just had another huge game of 26 points, five assists, four rebounds, two steals and a block Friday. Lacan’s Sun play Wednesday just before the break.
Rae Burrell, G, Los Angeles Sparks (35.6%): Burrell has started off and on all season but has held onto the starting gig for nine straight games and doesn’t seem likely to let it go soon. In those last nine starts, Burrell is averaging 14.7 PPG, 1.4 3PG and 1.1 SPG in addition to solid assists and rebounds from the backcourt. Burrell’s Sparks play Wednesday.
Sydney Taylor, G, Chicago Sky (21.6%): Taylor has scored 15 or more points and 20 or more fantasy points in six straight games. In that span, she’s averaging 17.5 PPG and 2.5 3PG. She also plays again Wednesday.
Sarah Ashlee Barker, G, Portland Fire (26.7%): Barker is in the midst of a breakout sophomore campaign for the Fire. She has started her past 14 games and put up strong all-around numbers of 11.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.8 APG and 1.5 3PG. She has mixed in some big impact games, including 21 points, four boards and four assists in her just in outing and 25 points, six rebounds and three assists in her last game in June. Her team plays Wednesday as well.
July 13: Four players to add this week
Megan Gustafson of the Portland Fire is shooting .592 from the field in July. Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty ImagesAndré Snellings: This will be the last full week of games before the WNBA All-Star break and the league has a full schedule with at least two games every day. There will be two games on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, three games on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, and four games on Friday. This gives us a total of 19 games for the week — a solid number — so fantasy managers need to make sure to scour your free agency wire to maximize your games played.
As we often do in this space, let’s take a closer look around the league and identify four players who have played well of late that fantasy managers might consider targeting if they are available in your leagues.
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Leila Lacan, G, Connecticut Sun (rostered in 35.9% of ESPN Leagues): Lacan is rapidly approaching “should be universally rostered” territory, if she’s not there already. Even with her streak of games scoring in double-digits coming to an end at nine, she is still rocking these numbers over her last 10: 14.0 PPG, 4.8 APG, 2.5 SPG and 1.4 SPG.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa, F, Sun (31.4%): Nelson-Ododa has scored in double figures in seven straight games and started the last six. In those six starts, she has averaged a near double-double with 11.7 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 1.5 BPG and 1.3 SPG.
Laura Juskaite, F, Toronto Tempo (18.3%): Juskaite has started the last two games for the Tempo. She started on Friday with Nyara Sabally unavailable, but even with Sabally back on Sunday, the Tempo again started Juskaite. Over those two starts, Juskaite has averaged 21.5 PPG, 2.5 3PG and 2.0 SPG.
Megan Gustafson, C, Portland Fire (25.8%): Gustafson has moved into a consistent scoring role for the Fire. She has dropped double figures in six straight games, averaging 14.7 PPG, 2.2 3PG and 1.3 SPG over that span.
July 10: Weekend preview and streaming picks
The Sun are struggling, but Leila Lacan continues to put up useful numbers for fantasy. Jesse Johnson/Imagn ImagesEric Moody: Saturday’s matchup between the New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx brings together two contenders who have taken very different paths to get where they are. The Lynx are tied for the league’s best record at 16-6 and rank inside the top five in both offensive and defensive rating, while the Liberty have battled injuries and constant lineup changes this season but are 13-9 and just defeated Minnesota last week.
Breanna Stewart continues to anchor the Liberty and is averaging 20.5 PPG and 8.5 RPG, while Jonquel Jones remains one of the league’s most impactful centers. For Minnesota, rookie Olivia Miles has been a revelation, averaging 18.5 PPG and 5.7 APG, and the Lynx continue to get significant production from Natasha Howard, Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride.
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Fantasy stream team
Let’s look at some streaming options rostered in fewer than 50% of ESPN leagues, with three games scheduled Friday, three more on Saturday and four on Sunday.
Leila Lacan, G, Connecticut Sun (rostered in 44.0% of ESPN leagues): Lacan is one of the few bright spots for a Sun team sporting the worst record in the league. She plays with speed and control, creating for others while scoring from all three levels. Defensively, Lacan’s anticipation, energy and willingness to pressure the ball can quickly change the direction of a game. She has averaged 27.0 fantasy points per game over her last 10 games.
Megan Gustafson, C, Portland Fire (35.6% rostered): Gustafson has prospered in the starting lineup, averaging 26.6 fantasy points and 30.2 minutes per game over the last five games. She contributes across nearly every statistical category, which makes her a useful streaming option.
Rae Burrell, G. Los Angeles Sparks (23.0%): Burrell has played at least 25 minutes in each of the last five games, helping fill the void left by Kelsey Plum, who is out with a lower leg injury. Burrell has scored at least 28 fantasy points in three of those five games.
Julie Allemand, G, Toronto Tempo (20.3%): Allemand joined the Tempo this offseason and brings experience from both the WNBA and overseas. The seasoned guard gives Toronto playmaking, defense and leadership in the backcourt. She has scored at least 24 fantasy points and played at least 30 minutes in three consecutive games.
Dorka Juhasz, PF/C, Lynx (6.8%): Juhasz stepped away from the league in 2025 to recover from burnout and nagging injuries. She returned to hoops overseas with renewed confidence, averaged 13.0 PPG, 7.6 RPG and 0.9 BPG for Galatasaray, and became the youngest EuroLeague MVP at age 26. Now back with Minnesota, she’s being eased into the rotation but finished with 25 fantasy points against the Sun on Wednesday.
Awak Kuier, C, Dallas Wings (9.4%): Kuier returned to the Wings in 2026 after spending two seasons overseas to improve her game and recover from the grind of year-round basketball. She’s now a starter for the Wings, looks confident and is making an impact on both ends of the court. Kuier has scored at least 26 fantasy points in two consecutive games.
July 9: Midseason fantasy All-Stars, Wilson leads the way
A’ja Wilson is the leading scorer in fantasy women’s basketball this season. Joe Boatman/NBAE via Getty ImagesEric Moody: The WNBA All-Star pool is set, but the teams still need to be drafted. From a fantasy perspective, it’s a good time to look back at the first half and name our own women’s basketball all-stars. The scoring leaders belong in the conversation, but fantasy value is never just about the biggest names. It’s also about consistency, roles in the rotation, draft-day value, waiver-wire gems and the players who kept rosters afloat when managers needed them most, especially with all the injuries so far this season. These are my fantasy women’s basketball All-Stars, from the elite stars to the breakout players and reserves who earned recognition.Play Fantasy Women’s Basketball
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A’ja Wilson: Wilson leads the league in fantasy points per game at 46.1, picking up right where she left off after a historic season. Last year, Wilson became the first WNBA or NBA player to win the scoring title, MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and Finals MVP in the same season. Fittingly, she was the first player chosen in fantasy women’s hoops drafts this year.
Caitlin Clark: She ranks second in FPPG at 37.6 and has returned to form after injuries limited her to just 13 games in 2025. Even in a shortened season, Clark still posted a 28.7% usage rate and averaged 36.8 fantasy points per game, fourth behind Wilson, Napheesa Collier and Alyssa Thomas. Clark has pushed her usage rate even higher this season at 30.6%.
Breanna Stewart: The Liberty star is right there with Clark at 37.5 fantasy points per game. Stewart’s production speaks for itself, and the Commissioner’s Cup MVP has delivered exactly what managers hoped for when they drafted her in the middle of the first round.
Kelsey Plum: Plum is out with a lower left leg injury and has dealt with injuries off and on this season, but her production hasn’t dropped when she has been on the court. Plum is averaging 37.4 fantasy points per game, keeping her firmly in the fantasy All-Star conversation.
Rhyne Howard: Howard has been one of the best draft-day values of the season, easily outperforming her third-round ADP. Through 20 games, Howard is averaging 18.9 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.2 APG and a league-leading 2.5 SPG in 35.2 MPG. Outside of rebounds and assists, all of those numbers are career highs for the Dream star.
Fantasy All-Star Reserves
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Aliyah Boston
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Olivia Miles
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Marina Mabrey
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Paige Bueckers
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Angel Reese
Editor’s Picks
Fever’s Clark, Boston, Mitchell named ASG starters
WNBA All-Star roster breakdown: Snubs, MVP predictions, what to watch in Chicago
Boston got off to a slower start than managers would have wanted, especially at her average draft position, but she has turned it up over the past 10 games with 37.6 FPPG. Miles has delivered well-rounded production all season, and managers who selected the rookie in Round 4 have to be pleased with her fantasy output. Mabrey has capitalized on her opportunity with the Toronto Tempo as one of their focal points and is averaging a career-best 20.6 points per game. Bueckers is thriving on a Dallas Wings team where Arike Ogunbowale and Azzi Fudd both command high usage rates. Most of Reese’s fantasy value comes from rebounding, but she leads the league with 11.8 RPPG while also contributing in other categories. I’d be remiss if I didn’t include one honorable mention.
Honorable Mention
Jessica Shepard: Shepard ranks 13th in fantasy points per game and has been one of the best offseason signings in the league. She’s a first-time All-Star who has greatly outperformed her eighth-round ADP for fantasy managers this season.
