RADIO
It's here: the end of the first half of the WNBA season. After today, we won't see any WNBA games until August.
This means you've got to win you some DFS money today! So let's make that happen! Big slate of games for y'all, with a lot of decisions to make.
In this article, I'll be providing you with some daily fantasy WNBA lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel on 7/11/21. 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.
WNBA DFS Lineup Picks
Guard: Skylar Diggins-Smith (Phoenix Mercury) - @ Storm - DK: $10,200, FD: $7,500
Diana Taurasi is expected to dress for Sunday's game, but a decision hasn't been made about her actually playing. It seems to fair to think that after missing the last two games and having the Olympics up next, Taurasi either won't play or will barely play.
SDS has been on fire over the past two games, posting 40-plus fantasy points in both of them. Against Seattle on Friday, she had 26 points on 8-for-13 shooting, as well as three rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and three steals.
When the offense runs through Diggins-Smith as the point guard, good things happen -- both for the Mercury, who won both of these games, and for fantasy players, who get a huge performance out of her.
Guard: Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever) - @ Dream - DK: $8,600, FD: $6,400
Kelsey Mitchell is infamously inconsistent, but she's shot 40 percent or better in four consecutive games, plus has scored 20 or more points in three of the past four contests.
The assists are all over the place -- she could get five or she could get none -- but as long as Mitchell is getting the kind of minutes that she's been playing and keeps this newfound efficiency up, she'll be a strong fantasy option and comes at a really solid price for the upside she provides.
Plus, the Dream defense is decidedly not good! I'll talk more about that with the next player I highlight, but this matchup means I really want to have at least one Fever player in all of my lineups.
Guard: Crystal Bradford (Atlanta Dream) - vs Fever - DK: $7,900, FD: $5,500
Atlanta's backcourt is shallow right now with Tiffany Hayes hurt and Chennedy Carter suspended.
That's why Bradford has been getting a lot of run. She played 22 minutes last game, which was actually her lowest mark since June 26th, but she scored 12 points and added five rebounds.
Bradford was once a WNBA afterthought. The 27-year-old was drafted in 2015 by the Sparks, but didn't play again in the league after 2015 until this year. And suddenly, Bradford has come from obscurity to become a valuable WNBA contributor.
Indiana has the second-worst defensive rating in the league, with only Atlanta worse. Yep, this is going to be a battle of bad defenses, which is a little boost to all the players in this game as well. That makes Bradford an incredibly interesting play at guard.
Forward: Jonquel Jones (Connecticut Sun) - @ Liberty - DK: $11,400, FD: $9,100
The Liberty are not equipped to handle dynamic bigs like Jonquel Jones.
In fact, last time Jones faced New york, she scored 31 points on 12-for-16 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds. She also added three assists, one block, and made a pair of threes.
Kylee Shook isn't going to slow down Jonquel Jones.
It's weird to say this on a slate that also features Breanna Stewart, but this is the play for me. Jones is going to end the first half of the WNBA with a huge, huge night.
Forward: Mercedes Russell (Seattle Storm) - vs Mercury - DK: $7,100, FD: $4,500
The Storm are without Stephanie Talbot and Ezi Magbegor right now because those two have already left for Olympic prep.
Without Ezi to spell her up front, Russell played 34 minutes last game, scoring 12 points on 6-for-6 shooting and adding six rebounds, two assists, and one block.
This is a good slate to take advantage of players who benefit from early departures. Russell's been one of the most improved players in the league this season, and giving her 30-plus minutes is a recipe for getting at least 25-ish fantasy points out of her.
Forward: Kiah Stokes (Las Vegas Aces) - @ Wings - DK: $4,500, FD: $3,500
Speaking of players who benefit from the Australian Olympic team having their players leave early, Kiah Stokes would up playing a key role for the Aces last game with Liz Cambage out.
Stokes played 29 minutes last game and started at the five. She scored just two points on 1-for-1 shooting, but grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked a shot.
In a way, this was a throwback to last year. Cambage sat out the season and Carolyn Swords started at the five. Swords didn't score much, but she was good at grabbing boards and wound up being a solid fantasy value play on a lot of nights.
On Sunday, Stokes should once again fill that Carolyn Swords role. She'll also have a size advantage against a Wings team that often plays small.
