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Justin Carter's top daily fantasy WNBA lineup picks for 5/16/21. Expert WNBA DFS advice, sleepers & player recommendations for DraftKings and FanDuel.
Every WNBA team has now played a game, and it appears that the fantasy providers out there are making some better decisions with their DFS pricing. On one hand, that means it's harder to exploit the pricing. On the other, it means less unpredictability and overpowered lineups, so there are positives.
Sunday, we've got a two-game slate. New York and Indiana face again, while Phoenix will visit Connecticut for a night game.
In this article, I'll be providing you with some daily fantasy WNBA lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 5/16/21. 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 Guards
Sabrina Ionescu (G, New York Liberty) – @ Indiana Fever (DK: $10,000, FD: $8,000)
Sabrina Ionescu had a bit of a slow start on Friday, but by the end of the game she was just fully in her Sabrina Ionescu bag, finishing with 25 points, 11 assists, and six rebounds while hitting the game-winning three.
Ionescu is just a force when she has the ball. You can't single her, because she can score at will on a variety of drives or pull ups. But you can't double her, because she's an elite passer who can find open shooters and just rack up the assists. No matter what, Ionescu has the ability to beat you. She's played three full WNBA games and twice has put up numbers that make you say "OH MY GOD SABRINA IONESCU."
Anyway, she's my favorite play on this slate. Teammate Betnijah Laney is a fine option after she scored at will on Friday, but I think Ionescu has both a higher floor and ceiling.
Kia Nurse (G, Phoenix Mercury) – @ Connecticut Sun (DK: $7,600, FD: $5,300)
Nurse was the first option in New York last year and really struggled, but now she's in Phoenix, where she's the fourth option, which is the perfect situation for a player like Nurse to thrive.
In the first game of the year, Nurse played 33 minutes, scoring 10 points on 4-for-13 shooting and adding six rebounds, two assists, and two steals. She should be more efficient going forward on a team where defenses can't key in on her, and Connecticut's weakness is probably their perimeter defense, which is something Phoenix can exploit. I think Nurse could have a strong showing Sunday.
Victoria Vivians (G, Indiana Fever) – vs New York Liberty (DK: $5,600, FD: $3,300)
Vivians wasn't great in the season opener, but she started, which is good when it comes to predicting future performance. Despite finishing with just four points and two rebounds, I'm willing to take the risk on her Sunday as my cheap play, because Vivians is a really talented player on a team that doesn't have a lot of offense on the perimeter outside of Kelsey Mitchell. If you want to take a risk on someone to save you some salary, Vivians is that person.
WNBA - DFS Forwards
Jonquel Jones (F, Connecticut Sun) – vs Phoenix Mercury (DK: $9,900, FD: $7,700)
Jonquel Jones was the 20th highest-priced DraftKings forward Friday. Sunday, she's the highest-priced forward.
Why? Because she just went completely off on Friday. 26 points on 10-for-15 shooting, plus eight rebounds, three assists, and one steal. Jones is one of the WNBA's best players and is FINALLY being priced like it. And with Alyssa Thomas out for the year, Connecticut is using Jones a ton:
Like, LOOK AT HOW GOOD SHE IS.
Jones was priced up, but she's still cheap enough to play a ton. Just do it.
Teaira McCowan (F, Indiana Fever) – vs New York Liberty (DK: $9,800, FD: $7,000)
On Friday, Teaira McCowan went off against the Liberty, playing 31 minutes and finishing with 22 points and 16 rebounds. New York just had no answer for her up front.
And, well, guess what? These teams play again Sunday and New York is still just completely overmatched inside. They're going to have some combination of Kylee Shook and Reshanda Gray trying to stop McCowan and, well...those two (plus Joyner Holmes, who was released Saturday) couldn't stop her on Friday, so I'm not sure why we should expect them to stop her on Sunday. McCowan should be especially effective on the offensive glass, as New York's lack of size and strength inside is a huge issue for the Liberty and potentially a huge advantage for McCowan.
Jantel Lavender is another strong play for these exact reasons.
Michaela Onyenwere (F, New York Liberty) – @ Indiana Fever (DK: $6,300, FD: $5,800)
Onyenwere's WNBA debut on Friday was shockingly good, as she finished with 18 points, the most ever for a Liberty player in her team debut.
Onyenwere also added five rebounds and made three three-pointers. It was a great first game for her as she started at the four and played 28 minutes. I'm not sure if I trust her enough yet, but her fantasy price didn't skyrocket like a lot of other players did after strong opening games, so she's a good option to bet on Sunday.
(Warning: After I wrote all this, it seems the Liberty activated Rebecca Allen. She should play a lot and is extremely cheap ($4,800 on DraftKings!), which could impact Onyenwere. I still like Michaela, but maybe...not as much?)
