Fantasy women’s hoops: Nelson-Ododa, Leite among this week’s top player picksOlivia Nelson-Ododa of the Connecticut Sun is available in 82.7% of ESPN leagues. David Butler II-Imagn ImagesESPN FantasyJun 29, 2026, 03:07 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!
Resources: Rankings | Scoring leaders | Added/dropped | ESPN Fantasy app
June 29: Player picks for the week ahead
André Snellings: Fresh off only the second four-overtime game in WNBA history in the Washington Mystics’ magnificent 1-point victory over the Portland Fire on Sunday, the WNBA embarks on another big week that will see a champion crowned in the Commissioner’s Cup. The Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty will lock horns on Tuesday to win the in-season title, and anytime we get to see the last two WNBA Finals winners face off its bound to be exciting.
There are no games on Monday or Wednesday, and Tuesday’s Cup final does not count in fantasy, which means the scoring week begins on Thursday. This leads to a mini-break for the rest of the league that effectively have half-a-week off between scheduled games. The league has three games on Thursday and two each on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. With only 10 total games in the league over the entire week, including the Cup championship, games played will be a premium in fantasy this week.
This dynamic makes working the waiver wire even more important than usual in fantasy leagues. Every played game counts. There are five teams that play twice this week: the Aces, the Liberty, the Atlanta Dream, the Dallas Wings and the Seattle Storm. Every other team only plays once. Keep that in mind as well as you look through the free agency wire.
As we 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.
Four players (plus two bonuses) to target in free agency
Carla Leite, G, Portland Fire (Rostered in 45.8% of ESPN Leagues): Leite featured prominently in Sunday’s four-OT classic in which the teams combined for a whopping 247 total points. Leite dropped 32 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds and 3 3-pointers in 48 minutes. Teammates Sarah Ashlee Barker (25 points in 46 minutes, 29.2% rostered) and Megan Gustafson (20 points in 46 minutes, 27.2% rostered) also turned in big games and are available in the majority of ESPN leagues.
Julie Allemand, G, Toronto Tempo (11.8%): Allemand has stepped up her production of late in the absences of Brittney Sykes (foot), Kiki Rice (ankle) and even Marina Mabrey last game (neck). Allemand has notched consecutive points-assists double-doubles while flirting with triple-doubles, averaging 12.0 PPG, 12.0 APG, 6.5 RPG and 2.5 combined steals and blocks in her last two outings.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa, F/C, Connecticut Sun (17.3%): Nelson-Ododa moved into the starting lineup two games ago and has started five games on the season. In those five starts, Nelson-Ododa has averaged a double-double with 12.2 PPG and 10.2 RPG.
Jade Melbourne, G, Seattle Storm (10.5%): Melbourne returned from a one-game absence last week with two solid games in her reclaimed role in the starting lineup. In those two games, she averaged 14.0 PPG, 6.0 APG and 1.5 SPG in 28.0 MPG.
June 26: Weekend preview and streaming picks
Cecilia Zandalasini has scored in double figures in each of her past three games. Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty ImagesEric Moody: Marina Mabrey is in the middle of a fantastic season with the Toronto Tempo and finished with a season-high 70 fantasy points on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Sparks. She has scored 160 fantasy points over the last three games and is greatly outperforming her average draft position.
Elsewhere around the league, Courtney Vandersloot, who is rostered in 17.7% of ESPN leagues, is expected to make her 2026 debut for the Chicago Sky on Friday against the Portland Fire after missing time with a torn right ACL. The 37-year old five-time All-Star gives Chicago another experienced ball handler alongside Skylar Diggins and Natasha Cloud, which matters for a team ranked 11th in the league with 19.4 assists per game.
Vandersloot ranks second in league history with 2,886 career assists, trailing only Sue Bird, and has nearly 1,000 more assists than the next active player, Chelsea Gray. Her return could also help a Sky team that sits near the bottom of the league in three-point shooting, as Vandersloot is a career 33.5% shooter from beyond the arc.
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.
Awa Fam, C, Seattle Storm (rostered in 47.9% of ESPN leagues)
Fam is off to a promising start this season and continues to shine while Ezi Magbegor works her way back to the court from a right foot injury suffered in April. Fam has played at least 29 minutes and scored at least 23 fantasy points in four consecutive games, including one 38-point performance.
Rae Burrell, G, Los Angeles Sparks (27.6%)
Kelsey Plum suffered a lower left leg injury and will be re-evaluated in four weeks, which opens the door for Burrell to be more involved. Burrell has scored at least 24 fantasy points and played at least 26 minutes in three consecutive games. Burrell is widely available, and the Sparks play Saturday.
Sarah Ashlee Barker, G, Portland Fire (25.9%)
Barker has scored at least 20 fantasy points in seven consecutive games. She has had an 18.9% usage rate over that stretch, which ranks sixth on the Fire, but still shows Barker is consistently involved in the rotation. Portland plays twice in the next three days.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa, F/C, Connecticut Sun (13.0%)
Nelson-Ododa was promoted to the starting lineup against the Chicago Sky on Monday and finished with a season high 37 fantasy points in 27 minutes. She has averaged 1.0 fantasy points per minute this season, which gives her streaming appeal if her minutes continue to rise. Connecticut plays on Friday, making Nelson-Ododa a prime streamer pick for the day, before your Saturday moves.
Cecilia Zandalasini, F/C, Golden State Valkyries (6.1%)
Zandalasini and the Valkyries have two games this weekend, giving managers a chance to take advantage of her recent production. Zandalasini has scored at least 22 fantasy points in two of her last three games and has posted a 25.3% usage rate over that stretch.
Kelsey Plum injury opens up Sparks’ rotation
Kelsey Plum is expected to be out for at least four weeks with a left leg injury. Matthew Huang/Icon SportswireEric Moody: Plum’s absence with a lower left leg injury is a tough hit for the Los Angeles Sparks and fantasy managers. The team unveiled that Plum will miss at least four weeks and be re-evaluated after that, which likely keeps her out through the All-Star break. She was having the best statistical season of her career, averaging 23.9 PPG and 6.4 APG while shooting 52.7% from the field and 38.3% from 3-point range.
The timing is especially bad for a Sparks team already playing without Cameron Brink. Los Angeles is 7-5 with Plum in the lineup and 1-3 without her, so this is not just a scoring loss. Plum drives the offense, creates shots for others and gives the Sparks a closer late in games. Her 26.7% usage rate also shows how much of the offense runs through her. The margin for error gets much smaller for the Sparks with Plum out of the lineup.
Rae Burrell (rostered in 14.0% of ESPN leagues) is a name to watch and could move into a larger role, possibly even the starting lineup. She has scored at least 21 fantasy points in three consecutive games. Ariel Atkins (57.1%) and Erica Wheeler (24.1%) should also see more opportunities to handle the basketball and create shots. Kiana Williams (0.1%) was recently added to help reduce the guard workload and should now see a larger role in the rotation.
For fantasy managers, Burrell, Atkins, Dearica Hamby and Nneka Ogwumike are the main names who benefit. No one on the roster can replace Plum’s fantasy production, but Atkins should see more usage, Burrell becomes more interesting in deeper leagues, and Hamby and Ogwumike will have to carry more of the scoring and rebounding load while Plum is out.
June 23: Players and teams trending up this week
Sonia Citron of the Washington Mystics has scored in double-figures in eight straight games. Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty ImagesEric Moody: Injuries, usage spikes, cold streaks and changing rotations are creating actionable fantasy edges, and the managers who see them early will have the advantage.Atlanta’s offense is becoming a fantasy goldmineThe Dream are tied with the Minnesota Lynx for the league lead in offensive rating, and Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray, Angel Reese and Jordin Canada are all in the top-30 in fantasy points per game.
-
Reese’s value is rising, as he has ditched the stretch-five experiment, moving away from shooting threes in favor of returning to the paint. That’s better for Reese’s rebounds, free throws and efficiency.
Washington’s young core is hard to ignore
Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Cotie McMahon and Lauren Betts are all trending up. The Mystics may be young, but they’re winning games. McMahon and Betts are available in more than 50% of leagues, which puts both on the streaming radar. At the very least, they should be on your watch list.
-
Citron has scored at least 32 fantasy points in each of her last three games, including two with at least 40 or more during the Mystics’ three-game winning streak. Citron contributes in every statistical category and is the type of player managers should hold if she is already on their roster or consider trading for if she is not.
-
Iriafen had some exceptional late game moments against the New York Liberty and Lynx, and her points, rebounds and shooting percentage are all up from last season. Iriafen has scored at least 26 fantasy points in each of her last two games.
The Toronto Tempo’s injuries have opened the door for Maria Conde
Brittney Sykes and Kiki Rice are both out, opening up more minutes for Conde, who has averaged 25.0 fantasy points and 29.3 minutes per game over the last three games. She’s rostered in just 7.5% of ESPN leagues, and is one of our top picks this week.
Dominique Malonga is becoming the lone bright spot for the Seattle Storm
The Storm are tied with Connecticut for the worst record in the league (3-15), but Malonga has scored at least 52 fantasy points in two of her past three games. Ezi Magbegor is still considered week-to-week, and given Seattle’s record and Malonga’s recent play, the Storm have little incentive to rush Magbegor back as they continue leaning into their youth movement.
Sydney Taylor is a name to monitor with the Chicago Sky
The Sky are struggling, but Taylor’s role has become much more fantasy relevant. Her 29.4% usage rate over the last four games ranks ninth in the league, and she has scored at least 24 fantasy points in three of those games, including two with 39 or more. Taylor is still rostered in just 16.4% of leagues.
