WNBA DFS picks for Sunday, July 4

Welcome back to another WNBA DFS season. Last year, we saw a condensed season conducted in a bubble, in which several key players opted out. Due to the conflicting seasons between the WNBA and European teams, many players will be late to their respective WNBA clubs. That will be something we have to navigate, in addition to the usual COVID-19 protocols. 

With this article, I’ll give you my daily core for WNBA DFS, along with some other interesting options to round out your player pool. In Showdown slates, we’ll discuss a captain, secondary option and value play to round out your lineup core. A formatted model is designed to offer you some building blocks, along with some analysis on the importance of the roles they will play in each slate. You’ll also see projected starting lineups for a convenient search of expected starters, especially in a time when getting news may be hard to come by. With that, let’s dive into Sunday’s slate. 

Core

A’ja Wilson

I am beginning my builds Sunday with Wilson. The Dream are dead last in defensive efficiency and allowing the most points per game to opposing teams this season. That bodes trouble against an Aces team putting up excellent numbers, including over 90 points per game this season, which would be the most since the 2010 Phoenix Mercury averaged 93.9 per game. Additionally, the Dream interior is dead last defensive in the paint (non-restricted area) and in the mid-range this season, both Wilson’s two highest-volume areas on the floor this season. With the usage Wilson is seeing, and her ability to add in peripherals, this is a terrific spot for a ceiling game, even with some blowout risk (both games are in danger of a blowout).

Amanda Zahui B

Zahui B has taken on a major role for the Sparks with the absences of both Ogwumike sisters, and while the two remain out, we should expect that role to continue. Now, Kristi Toliver is out, leaving the Sparks with few resources offensively, and Zahui B now has a 22% usage rate and team high 13.7% rebound rate with the Ogwumike’s and Toliver off the floor this season. If there’s one area Seattle struggles defensively, it’s against bigs, so I will be targeting Zahui B at forward on both sites tonight, and she’s especially an intriguing pivot off Liz Cambage who may play fewer than 24 minutes tonight as Vegas continues to limit her workload, specifically in games that are out of hand early.

Sue Bird

Lastly, the Storm have Jewell Loyd listed as questionable, so her status will need to be monitored. Should Loyd end up sidelined, Bird has averaged around 0.9 fantasy points per minute (across both sites) with Loyd off the floor over the last two seasons. With Bird beginning to see a workload in the mid-30s in three of her last four games (one of which was overtime, and had 30 minutes in regulation), Bird offers some value if Loyd ends up sitting this one out. Now, because this is the late game, we likely won’t get news until the early game is completed, which does limit our pivot options. Should Loyd play, I like Erica Wheeler (if you have the extra $400 on DK, $500 on FD), and Te’a Cooper if needing to drop down for a pivot. Both Sparks guards have taken on a usage rate over 25% with the Ogwumike sisters and Kristi Toliver off the floor this season and represent strong mid-range options.

Injury report (OUT)

Dream @ Aces: Tiffany Hayes
Storm @ Sparks: Nneka Ogwumike, Chiney Ogwumike, Kristi Toliver, Jewell Loyd (Questionable)

Projected starting lineups

Atlanta Dream: PG: Crystal Bradford, SG: Chennedy Carter, SF: Courtney Williams, PF: Cheyenne Parker, C: Elizabeth Williams
Las Vegas Aces: PG: Chelsea Gray, SG: Jackie Young, SF: Riquina Williams, PF: A’ja Wilson, C: Liz Cambage

Seattle Storm: PG: Sue Bird, SG: Jewell Loyd, SF: Katie Lou Samuelson, PF: Breanna Stewart, C: Mercedes Russell
Los Angeles Sparks: PG: Erica Wheeler, SG: Te’a Cooper, SF: Brittney Sykes, PF: Nia Coffey, C: Amanda Zahui B