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Justin Carter's top daily fantasy WNBA lineup picks for 5/21/23. Expert WNBA DFS advice for DraftKings and FanDuel and today's best bets.
After Saturday, every WNBA team has been in action this season and the biggest takeaway so far is that the Las Vegas Aces remain extremely good. After adding Candace Parker in the offseason, the defending champs demolished the Storm Saturday afternoon, winning 105-64. Sure, it's not the same Storm team that we've seen in recent years, but it was still a huge statement by Vegas.
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, as well as adding a little betting advice as well.
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 5/21/2023 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Want to talk more about the WNBA? I'm always available on Twitter and always down to discuss women's basketball: @juscarts.
WNBA DFS Picks: Forward
Alyssa Thomas (Connecticut Sun) -vs WAS - DK: $11,100, FD: $9,100
I thought Alyssa Thomas would be a darkhorse MVP candidate this season. After one game, we might want to drop "darkhorse" from that.
Thomas was her dominant self on Friday, scoring 18 points on 6-for-14 shooting and adding 11 rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and three steals. While the five turnovers hurt a little, her overall contribution to this team was the reason the Sun took down the Fever.
And I see no reason to think this changes. The Mystics are a better defensive team than the Fever, but it's so hard to stop Thomas. Everything runs through her, and stopping her when she drives inside is just nearly impossible.
Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever) - @ NY - DK: $8,700, FD: $7,600
The bad news about Boston's WNBA debut: she got into some early foul trouble and ended up only playing 24 minutes, fouling out in the fourth quarter. The good news? She did stuff like this:
and like this:
Boston finished her WNBA debut with 15 points on 6-for-10 shooting, plus had nine rebounds, one assist, one block, and one steal. The Fever are going to work to get her the ball because she's already one of three reliable scoring threats on the team, and I imagine she figures out the foul stuff pretty fast as well.
Morgan Bertsch (Chicago Sky) - @ PHO - DK: $6,300, FD: $4,800
I know some really smart WNBA people who were high on Morgan Bertsch this offseason, and my initial thought on that was skepticism. Bertsch is a player who keeps getting training camp invites, but until Friday had never actually appeared in a WNBA game.
But the Sky have a shaky frontcourt situation, so Bertsch not only made the team but got immediate minutes as a starter. In her WNBA debut, she played 20 minutes and contributed a solid stat line: six points on 3-for-7 shooting to go along with two rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. A little less foul trouble and we probably see closer to 25 minutes from her. Her ability to make an impact defensively makes her an intriguing DFS play.
WNBA DFS Picks: Guard
Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever) - @ NYL - DK: $8,600, FD: $7,300
The New York Liberty were a mess in the opener, struggling on both ends of the floor. They'll figure the offense out, because there's too much talent for them not to. But, I don't know if they really figure out the defense, especially on the perimeter where most of the minutes go to Courtney Vandersloot and Sabrina Ionescu.
What I expect that to mean this year: we should target guards who play against New York in DFS. Like Indiana's Kelsey Mitchell, who took 17 field goal attempts in the opener, scoring 20 points on 7-for-17 shooting. She was 4-for-9 from deep and also added in two rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Mitchell should have plenty of room to work on the court on Sunday.
Brittney Sykes (Washington Mystics) - @ CON - DK: $9,100, FD: $7,400
Sykes was the big addition to this Mystics team last season and she immediately showed why in the opener, playing 29 minutes. She struggled with her shot, going just 3-for-10 for nine points, but made up for it with everything else, as she added nine rebounds, three assists, and five steals.
The energy Sykes brings to the floor is huge for this Mystics team and I'd also expect her to shoot a little better most nights. She might not also get five steals, but she also should still get plenty, as she averaged 2.0 per game last season.
Sug Sutton (Phoenix Mercury) - vs CHI - DK: $6,000, FD: $4,300
Sophie Cunningham is expected back for this one, which may cut into Sutton's minutes, but I think it's more likely she takes away playing time from Evina Westbrook. Maybe I'll be wrong, but I think for at least this one game, Sutton has some value if you're looking for someone on the lower end of the pricing who can produce.
In the season opener, she played 26 minutes and scored 10 points on 4-for-10 shooting with three rebounds, three assists, and one steal. She was 1-for-1 from deep.
WNBA Bet of the Day
Every day, I'll provide my favorite bet. I'll be using DraftKings Sportsbook for the odds.
Fever +15.5 (@ NY)
The Liberty didn't look like they'd figured out how to play together in Friday's loss to the Mystics, while the Fever looked competitive against a good Sun team. If the Liberty were playing as well on the court as they look on paper then sure, I might view them as 15.5 points better than the Fever. But Indiana looks really improved this season. I'm thinking New York wins this one, but only by single digits.
