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Justin Carter's top daily fantasy WNBA lineup picks for 8/24/21. Expert WNBA DFS advice, sleepers & player recommendations for DraftKings and FanDuel.
Ready for one of the best WNBA slates of the year?
We have four games, with two of them being absolute must-watch games that shouldn't be happening at the same time, as the Aces play the Sun and the Storm play the Lynx. Move that second game back by three hours, please! There's also Sparks/Mystics and Sky/Dream, but...well, you'll want to watch one of the other two games and just catch replays of the others on League Pass later.
In this article, I'll be providing you with some daily fantasy WNBA lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 8/24/21. These lineups picks will range from elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. Want to talk more about the WNBA? I'm always available on Twitter and always down to discuss women's basketball: @juscarts.
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WNBA DFS Lineup Picks: Guard
Erica Wheeler (Los Angeles Sparks) - @ Mystics - DK: $9,100, FD: $6,200
Wheeler will have her off nights, but she remains the best perimeter scoring threat on this team and has scored in double figures in nine of the last 10 games. Her scoring is down a bit with the Ogwumikes back to take possessions, but Wheeler is going to play almost the entire game if she avoids foul trouble and will take like 15 shots. Add in that she's good for three to five rebounds and five or six assists per night with a steal, and you can see why she's just an incredibly solid play.
Wheeler won't kill your line. She'll very likely provide some huge help to it. That's why she's one of my top plays on this slate.
Allie Quigley (Chicago Sky) - @ Dream - DK: $7,800, FD: $5,700
Okay, are the salary people just ignoring how Allie Quigley is playing arguably the best basketball of her life?
Four games in a row now where Quigley has made at least four threes. 35-plus fantasy points in all three games since the Olympic break, capped off by arguably her best game of the season against Minnesota, as she had 27 points on 10-for-16 shooting with five rebounds, three assists, and one steal.
Ride the hot hand right now. Play Quigley.
Odyssey Sims (Atlanta Dream) - vs Sky - DK: $7,300, FD: $5,700
Tiffany Hayes is doubtful for this game. Sims has been incredibly inconsistent, but it's hard not to play her on a night where Atlanta will be missing Hayes and the still suspended Chennedy Carter.
This should be a fast-paced game, which is why I'd expect to see a ton of shot attempts from Sims. Maybe not 27 of them like she had on the 17th against the Sparks, but definitely in the low teens at least. Don't expect a repeat of her recent 0-for-6 shooting night, especially with the Dream needing so much out of her in this game.
You're in for a roller coaster when you roster Sims, but I think tonight is one of those nights where the roller coaster is climbing to the top of one of drops.
WNBA DFS Lineup Picks: Forward
Jonquel Jones (Connecticut Sun) - vs Aces - DK: $10,900, FD: $8,900
Last time Jonquel Jones played the Aces, she had 23 points, seven rebounds, one assist, three blocks, and two steals.
This is just a good matchup for her. If the Aces put Liz Cambage on her, then Jones just extends her game out to the arc and uses her speed and versatility to exploit Liz. If they put anyone else on her, they risk Jones just demolishing that player inside. It's a lose-lose for Aces head coach Bill Laimbeer. His best option is to throw A'ja Wilson on her, but do you want to risk getting A'ja in foul trouble when you don't have a ton of bench depth?
Jones is a must-play on every slate, but I think even factoring that in, there's some additional upside tonight.
Elena Delle Donne (Washington Mystics) - vs Sparks - DK: $7,600, FD: $8,200
Consider this a DraftKings-only play, because DK watched Delle Donne play one game after two years off and dropped her salary by just a massive amount.
I get that EDD isn't her old self. I get that she's going to play limited minutes. And those are the reasons why I won't be paying $8,200 to get her on FanDuel.
But the price drop on DraftKings is massive. She costs less than Ji-Su Park. She's only $100 more than Mercedes Russell. What are we doing here?
Delle Donne is still a lights-out shooter, even if the athleticism isn't quite there. She had 16 points in her return on 5-for-11 shooting, but her peripheral stats just weren't there. She had three rebounds and nothing else. But I'd expect the ball in her hands more as we move along, giving her some assist upside. And Delle Donne can get more than three boards. C'mon, y'all.
Monique Billings (Atlanta Dream) - vs Sky - DK: $7,000, FD: $5,100
I mentioned above that I'm playing Sims because Hayes is doubtful. Well, I'm playing Billings because Candice Dupree is doubtful with a back injury.
Not the most consistent player, Billings can deliver when she plays 20-plus minutes, as she's scored 20-plus fantasy points in her last five games where she saw that level of minutes, including twice since the Olympic break.
Billings should play close to 30 minutes in this game, giving her a really good floor. Her ceiling is probably capped at 30 fantasy points, but you don't always have to chase ceiling plays. Use the player who's bound to deliver a solid game due to her team's limitations at forward.
