Women’s sports stories and betting analysis from experts and the pros themselves
Sent twice weekly so you can stay on top of what’s good in sports.
Happy fantasy drafts to you, WNBA fan. A new season tips off Friday, May 19, and with that, so does the second-ever WNBA fantasy season on ESPN!!
If you're new to following the W, welcome. We've got you covered on all you need to know. Are you a seasoned fantasy expert but new to the WNBA? We've got you covered too. Here are five tips to absolutely crush your WNBA women's fantasy basketball drafts this year.
1. Understand your scoring settings before the draft (and how they might affect the players you draft).
This. Is. So. Important!!! I cannot understate this enough. Your average roster includes six starters (2 guards, 3 forwards/centers and a flex player — can be any position), three bench spots (any position) with an optional IR spot where you can store ONLY injured players — just like in the actual league!
Here's a look at the average scoring settings for a WNBA fantasy league:
Point = 1 point
3-pointer made = 1 point
Rebound = 1 point
Assist = 1 point
Steal = 1 point
Block = 2 points
Efficiency doesn't necessarily matter for fantasy (unless it affects playing minutes, of course). You're looking for players that can pad the stat sheets.
Looking to customize your scoring settings? That might affect how early you want to draft certain players. For example, if you're offering THREE points per block, suddenly Candace Parker (who had a league-high 2.6 blocks per game in 2022) might climb even further up the rankings. Want to emphasize three-point shooters, and make them worth 2 points instead of 1? Cool — you should probably bump Kelsey Plum up in your rankings (A whopping 113 three-pointers in 2022 — wow. Regardless of what kind of superteam the Aces have built, you know Kelsey's got those threes in the bag).
2. Reminder: real-life production does not equal fantasy production!!
Fantasy rankings do not equal real-life player rankings. This cannot be overstated.
3. Do your research! Prepare for the draft.
Not to brag, but we've got some pretty great resources:
Matt Ellentuck's (resident WNBA expert!) top-100 WNBA fantasy rankings
Then, Matt Ellentuck explains his top-100 WNBA fantasy rankings here
If you've ever played fantasy football or NBA fantasy, you've probably noticed that there is an almost overwhelming amount of information available at your fingertips. Information on the WNBA just isn't as plentiful, unfortunately. Which is why you should...
4. Follow WNBA insiders for news throughout the season! Don't just rely on articles — social media is a great resource for info.
Here are some of the top news-breakers who you might find helpful to follow on Twitter.
5. Draft players you actually like.
This might be advice for more experienced WNBA fans, but it's important to remember while you're building your squad. The WNBA is a player's league, with a lot of really great personalities — so make sure you draft some of them!
"Vibes" isn't a statistical category that can award you points in fantasy basketball, but the fun you have rooting for players you actually enjoy watching can't be understated.
My last piece of advice: Have fun! ❤️
