WNBA DFS Lineup Advice – 8/15/2018 (Fanduel and DraftKings)
By EJ Whelan
Welcome to the Wednesday edition of WNBA DFS Lineup Advice, a fantasy basketball column dedicated to finding you the best key players and value picks on today’s slate to build your lineups around.
Attacking the CHI/MIN game last night almost worked out great. I took Sloot out of my lineups before lock though and went with Courtney Williams, which costs me about 15 fantasy points on Fanduel and my punts from NY didn’t come through. I still slid by in my GPPs though and was able to make a little money, so I’m not complaining. We have a short slate with a lot of options to consider. So let’s jump into the slate, find some key players and value picks to build our lineups around and go win some money!!!
For those of you stopping by for the first time, I would like to thank you for checking out WNBA DFS Lineup Advice here at FantasyCPR.com Here is a brief summary of what I cover in each article:
- Where to Play (Websites, contest rules, and prizes)
- Game Times, O/U, Spreads from Oddshark.com
- Key players from each game (Over 6K on Fanduel,10K on DraftKings)
- Value picks from each game (Under 4.5-K on Fanduel, 6k on DraftKings)
- Team stats from WNBA.com
- Player projections from LineStarApp.com
- Final Thoughts on the slate. (Stacks, fades, injuries, etc.)
It’s important to remember these articles are just a first look at the slate. For injury updates, starting lineups, pictures of my dog, and any other WNBA DFS news throughout the day – follow me on Twitter @whelan_ej
WNBA DFS – WHERE TO PLAY
Fanduel – $4.44 entry fee (150 max) 6,703 total entries 1st place prize – $5,000
DraftKings – $10 entry fee (105 max) 3,529 total entries 1st place prize – $5,000
The Mystics travel to the Hoosier State to take on the Fever to kick off the slate. Washington currently holds the #3 seed in the WNBA playoffs and are one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Indiana is ready to forget about this season and move on, sporting a 5-26 record – by far the worst in the league. Which Mystic and Fever players can help carry your DFS teams to the money line tonight? Keep reading to find out.
7 p.m. ET Washington Mystics (20-11) vs. Indiana Fever (5-26) 163.5 O/U IND +10
WAS – Off rating 106.1 Def rating 102.9 Pace 79.5 Off ppg 85.4 Def ppg 82.3
IND – Off rating 94.5 Def rating 106.1 Pace 78.9 Off ppg 75.2 Def ppg 84.8
Key Players:
Elena Delle Donne – EDD has been pretty consistent lately scoring around 40 fantasy points night after night. I don’t expect Indiana to put up much of a fight today though and the Mystics should be able to win this game without pushing Delle Donne too hard. That said, she is capable of putting up big numbers despite missing a few minutes in a blowout. LineStar has her projected to score 40.55 points on Fanduel. She’s a little pricey on DK, LaToya Sanders makes a decent option to pivot to in the paint if you don’t wanna pay up for EDD today.
Candace Dupree – I won’t have much exposure to Dupree today. Her price on DK is a little easier to swallow but on Fanduel I don’t wanna pay up for her. She only played 20 minutes in the Fever’s last two games, granted both those game were blowouts, but most Indiana games are. If you want to be contrarian today Dupree is the player for you, but there’s a reason she will be so low owned. Natalie Achonwa is another option in the paint, she’s had a decent game against WAS this year, but her minutes have been shaky too, and you never know what kind of a game you will get from her.
Kristi Toliver – With Ariel Atkins out today Toliver and Natasha Cloud are both in play for me. I like Toliver a little bit more though, at least on Fanduel where they are priced almost the same. On DK you can save a nice chunk of change by playing Cloud instead. Cloud has been a little more consistent and offers a bit of an edge on defense. Toliver eats off her shot, Cloud can fill the stat sheet in other departments. Natasha Cloud is projected to score 26.65 points on DraftKings. Toliver started off the season hot but has taken a bit of a backseat in the backcourt down the stretch. I want plenty of exposure to both of them in my lineups today, but I’m leaning more towards Cloud.
Value Picks: Tierra Ruffin-Pratt (FD & DK) Aerial Powers (FD & DK) Erica McCall (FD & DK)
The Las Vegas Aces are now a half game behind the Wings in the race for the last playoff spot in the WNBA. They have 3 games left and can punch their ticket to the postseason by winning out. They HAVE to beat Dallas Friday, win at least one other game and hope that Dallas loses against Seattle to make the playoffs. Any scenario other than that will leave both teams 15-19 (or worse for LV) with Dallas getting the tie-breaker since they’ve already beaten Vegas twice this year.
10 p.m ET New York Liberty (7-23) vs. Las Vegas Aces (13-18 ) 168.5 O/U LV -12
NY – Off rating 96.8 Def rating 105.2 Pace 79.5 Off ppg 77.7 Def ppg 84.5
LV – Off rating 100.3 Def rating 102.7 Pace 83.2 Off ppg 84 Def ppg 86.6
Key Players:
A’ja Wilson – Wilson is the most expensive player on the slate today on Fanduel but a little cheaper than EDD on DraftKings. She put up 40 fantasy points in 25 minutes her last time out and should be in store for more minutes tonight in a game with so much on the line. She has one of the highest usage rates in the league at 29.2% LineStar has her projected to score 40.29 points on Fanduel. I expect her ownership to be around 60% or higher on FD. Fade her if you want to get funky, but I’m going to have a lot of exposure to her.
Kayla McBride – McBride finally hit 8k on Fanduel. It’s a good matchup for her, the Liberty are on the second day of a back-to-back and played Monday too. NY is already stretched thin with injuries and have lost 10 games in a row. I expect Vegas to come out and try to push the pace of this game, opening up a lot of opportunities for quick assists and open looks for McBride. LineStar has her projected to score 31.37 points on Fanduel.
Tina Charles – Charles has scored over 20 points in her last 4 games. The offense runs through her, and this could turn into a shootout. LineStar has her projected to score 36.80 points on Fanduel. She has a usage rate of 29% and plays an average of 33.2 minutes a game. She’s hard to fad on a short slate and if I’m stacking the Aces today I will probably run it back with Charles.
Value Picks: Carolyn Swords (FD) Rebecca Allen (FD ) Kiah Stokes (FD)* if Zahui B misses
Kia Vaughn (DK) Kia Nurse (FD & DK)
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Final Thoughts
- I’m assuming that most people are gonna stack the NY/LV game today. That’s where I’m going target most of the players for my lineup too. I expect the pace of this game to stay relatively quick and the spread to stay a little closer than the first game.
- For a two-game slate, there are still plenty of studs and punts in play to come up with some creative lineups. I like the guards from Washington today, the studs from Vegas, and the punts on NY.
- If I am placing side bets today I like the early game to stay under the point total and NY against the spread in the late game.
- Remember on these short slates leaving some money on the table can be one of the simplest strategies for staying out of the GPP chalk. Don’t roster someone you don’t feel comfortable with just because you have the money for them.
- Injuries that could impact the slate: Ariel Atkins (out), Epiphanny Prince (out for now), Lindsey Allen (?), Shavonte Zellous (out for now), Amanda Zahui B (out for now), Tianna Hawkins (out), Marissa Coleman (out for now)
DFS MLB Game by Game Breakdowns. dark. Next