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Justin Carter's top daily fantasy WNBA lineup picks for 8/31/23. Expert WNBA DFS advice for DraftKings and FanDuel.
There are three WNBA games on the schedule tonight. Up first at 7:00 p.m. ET is Phoenix vs. Connecticut, a game where the Sun should be heavy favorites. The big game of the night comes at 10:00 p.m. ET, with the Mystics facing the Aces. On Saturday, the Mystics upset the Aces 78-62. Vegas enters this one on a two-game losing streak. Can the Aces get back on track on Thursday?
If you're looking for WNBA daily fantasy picks and some betting advice this season, then you're in the right place. I'll be here providing picks for any slate with two or more games, offering my insight into the league.
In this article, I'll be providing you with some daily fantasy WNBA lineup picks for DraftKings and FanDuel. These lineup picks will range from elite players to mid-priced options and value plays. The slates lock on 8/31/2023 at 7:00 PM ET. 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 Picks: Forward
A'ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces) vs. WAS (DK: $11,500, FD: $9,300)
The Aces really struggled when they faced the Mystics earlier in the week, but Wilson still managed to finish with a strong stat line. She scored 14 points on 4-for-12 shooting with 11 rebounds, two blocks, and one steal. It was a tough shooting night, but she still got hers when it came to fantasy despite Vegas scoring just 62 points.
Last game, Wilson had 23 points on 10-for-16 shooting in a loss to the Liberty, pulling down eight rebounds and blocking four shots. She's now recorded multiple blocks in four consecutive games, plus has at least seven rebounds in six consecutive contests.
Wilson's likely cruising to her third MVP award this season, even though she's got some good challengers in Alyssa Thomas and Breanna Stewart. She's been elite on both ends of the floor.
Rebecca Allen (Connecticut Sun) vs. PHO (DK: $7,600, FD: $5,600)
Allen's been getting a lot of minutes lately for the Sun, including playing 29 minutes a couple of games back against the Liberty. I always like it when I can get a player with this kind of minutes at this kind of price.
She's scored in double figures in two consecutive games, including putting up 14 points last time out in a win over the Sparks. She also added four rebounds, one assist, and three steals in the victory. Allen's a versatile defender and shooter who's always a threat to drain multiple three-pointers.
Olivia Nelson-Ododa (Connecticut Sun) vs. PHO (DK: $5,900, FD: $4,100)
This is risky here, but ONO saw a huge hump in her minutes last game. After playing under 10 minutes in three straight contests, she ended up on the floor for 26 minutes against the Sparks.
In those 26 minutes, she scored 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting while pulling down 11 rebounds. She also blocked three shots in the contest. If she can do that again, she's a slam dunk, but there's just no guarantee that Nelson-Ododa actually gets that many minutes again. That's why this is a risk, and sometimes you have to take a risk to get a reward.
WNBA DFS Picks: Guard
Brittney Sykes (Washington Mystics) @ LV (DK: $9,700, FD: $7,200)
Signing Sykes might have been the best move of any team this past offseason, outside of the Liberty adding Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Courtney Vandersloot. She's averaged 15.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.2 steals per game in her first season with the Mystics. She hasn't been the most efficient player, as she's shot 43.7% from the floor, but she's upped her three-point shooting to a career-high 35.7%. Her energy has been infectious as well.
With the Mystics back at full strength, you might think Sykes would take a bit of a backseat, but that didn't happen last time out against the Lynx. She scored 21 points on 6-for-11 shooting while going 3-for-6 from deep. She pulled down eight rebounds while adding one assist, one block, and three steals.
Moriah Jefferson (Phoenix Mercury) @ CON (DK: $8,000, FD: $6,300)
Diana Taurasi returned last game, but exited early with a toe injury and is listed as questionable for this game. I doubt we really see much of Taurasi even if she plays on Thursday, because the Mercury don't need to risk aggravating her injury.
Last time out against the Dream, Jefferson scored 16 points on 7-for-12 shooting with two rebounds, nine assists, and two steals. She had 17 points, five assists, and four steals the last time she took on the Connecticut Sun.
Karlie Samuelson (Los Angeles Sparks) vs. SEA (DK: $6,700, FD: $4,900)
With Layshia Clarendon sidelined by COVID and Lexie Brown done for the season, Samuelson played 32 minutes last game against the Sky, scoring 11 points on 4-f0r-10 shooting while going 3-for-6 from behind the three-point line. She also pulled down nine rebounds and three assists.
We've now seen Samuelson play 20-plus minutes in eight consecutive games. She's also made three three-pointers in three of the last four games. There's always risk with her in DFS since she's a role player, but I'll take that risk based on how she's been shooting the ball.
