Draft season in fantasy women’s basketball is rolling along as we head to the start of the regular season. Now they you’ve had time to process the biggest free agent moves, scan the player rankings and watch how rosters are taking shape, it’s time to see how your fantasy women’s basketball teams will look.
We tasked fantasy sports analysts Eric Moody and Andre Snellings, WNBA researcher Jenni LaCroix, and fantasy sports editors Pierre Becquey, Sachin Chandan and Joe Kaiser with drafting their teams and offering us some insight. For this exercise, we used the standard ESPN points league format with six teams and nine players each. Here is the scoring breakdown:
Point, rebound, assist = 1 Fantasy point (FP)
Made 3-pointer = 1 additional FP
Steal, block = 2 FPs
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Round 1
1. A’ja Wilson, LV (F1) — Snellings
2. Caitlin Clark, IND (G1) — Moody
3. Alyssa Thomas, PHX (F2) — Chandan
4. Breanna Stewart, NY (F3) — Becquey
5. Paige Bueckers, DAL (G2) — LaCroix
6. Angel Reese, ATL (F4) — Kaiser
LaCroix: We are seeing more depth at the guard position than we have seen in recent years due to a combination of young talent, player improvement, and expansion teams giving more opportunity for guards to be the primary ball handler and scorer. Look at what Veronica Burton did last season with the Golden State Valkyries (11.9 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.4 3PG, 1.1 SPG).
On the flip side, I wouldn’t say depth at the forward position has lessened compared to previous years, it’s that some of the most productive forwards are on the same team, which makes me question what their productivity will look like. Some examples: Nneka Ogwumike and Dearica Hamby on the Los Angeles Sparks; Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton and Satou Sabally on the New York Liberty; Kiki Iriafen, Lauren Betts and Shakira Austin on the Washington Mystics; Brionna Jones, Angel Reese and Naz Hillmon on the Atlanta Dream. It’s hard to predict which player will be the team’s top option versus the second option at that position, which impacts productivity.
Whereas, with the guards, it’s easier to predict who is the top option for each team. Even if they are the second option, they will have the ball in their hands a lot more because they’re guards whereas forwards don’t have as much control over where the ball goes.
Round 2
7. Sabrina Ionescu, NY (G3) — Kaiser
8. Aliyah Boston, IND (F5) — LaCroix
9. Dearica Hamby, LA (F6) — Becquey
10. Kelsey Plum, LA (G4) — Chandan
11. Skylar Diggins, CHI (G5) — Moody
12. Nneka Ogwumike, LA (F7) — Snellings
Round 3
13. Napheesa Collier, MIN (F8) — Snellings
14. Satou Sabally, NY (F9) — Moody
15. Jackie Young, LV (G6) — Chandan
16. Kelsey Mitchell, IND (G7) — Becquey
17. Allisha Gray, ATL (G8) — LaCroix
18. Sonia Citron, WSH (G9) — Kaiser
Snellings: I drafted Napheesa Collier with the first pick in the third round, despite the injury that will keep her sidelined into at least June. I wrestled with the decision because it was the top of the round, but my thought was that fantasy women’s basketball leagues tend to be remarkably competitive with similar levels of talent available on all teams. Plus, with starter-caliber players always available on the waiver wire, it can be difficult to separate one team from another. But Collier, when she is healthy, is a clear top 3 producer.
I’m hoping to stash her until she gets healthy, then enter the fantasy playoffs with a lineup featuring both Collier and A’ja Wilson. As a bonus, as soon as I drafted her, everyone else in the chat chimed in that she was their next pick!
Round 4
19. Rhyne Howard, ATL (G10) — Kaiser
20. Azura Stevens, CHI (F10) — LaCroix
21. Arike Ogunbowale, DAL (G11) — Becquey
22. Courtney Williams, MIN (G12) — Chandan
23. Gabby Williams, GS (F11) — Moody
24. Kahleah Copper, PHX (G13) — Snellings
Round 5
25. Chelsea Gray, LV (G14) — Snellings
26. Kamilla Cardoso, CHI (C1) — Moody
27. Jonquel Jones, NY (F12) — Chandan
28. Tina Charles, CON (C2) — Becquey
29. Kiki Iriafen, WSH (F13) — LaCroix
30. Natasha Howard, MIN (F14) — Kaiser
Round 6
31. Dominique Malonga, SEA (C3) — Kaiser
32. Marina Mabrey, TOR (G15) — LaCroix
33. Azzi Fudd, DAL (G16) — Becquey
34. Olivia Miles, MIN (G17) — Chandan
35. Ariel Atkins, LA (G18) — Moody
36. Rickea Jackson, CHI (F15) — Snellings
Becquey: Early in the draft, I wanted solid, known quantities occupying my top five guard and F/C spots. With that set, and knowing I’ll likely be streaming the utility spot all season long, I wanted to embrace the unknown, which is what rookies like Azzi Fudd and Lauren Betts offer. Projections for any player are usually a good midpoint within the range of likely outcomes, but with rookies, that becomes much wider, offering way more upside than for a veteran who has already shown what they’ll do with given minutes within a role.
Embracing a rookie’s upside is a much a bet on their talent as it is an acknowledgement that there’s more we don’t know, good or bad. And the downside? There’ll always be value to pick up on the waiver wire to mitigate it.
Round 7
37. Jewell Loyd, LV (G19) — Snellings
38. Alanna Smith, DAL (F16) — Moody
39. Veronica Burton, GS (G20) — Chandan
40. Lauren Betts, WSH (C4) — Becquey
41. Kayla Thornton, GS (F17) — LaCroix
42. Shakira Austin, WSH (C5) — Kaiser
Round 8
43. Natasha Cloud, NY (G21) — Kaiser
44. Kayla McBride, MIN (G22) — LaCroix
45. Brittney Sykes, TOR (G23) — Becquey
46. Brionna Jones, ATL (C6) — Chandan
47. Cameron Brink, LA (F18) — Moody
48. Brittney Griner, CON (C7) — Snellings
Moody: I have a fairly high risk tolerance, especially when targeting high-upside players, but I still balance that with safer, high-floor options. Caitlin Clark and Cameron Brink both carry injury concerns, but their per-game production and breakout potential make them worth betting on.
Clark was limited to 13 games last season, but she posted a 28.7% usage rate and averaged 36.8 fantasy points per game. This offseason, she focused on durability through structured recovery and workload management, which should help over a full season.
Brink missed the first 25 games last year recovering from a torn ACL and averaged just 12.8 MPG. Still, the former No. 2 pick showed flashes during her rookie season, with 22.0 fantasy points in 22.0 MPG pre-injury. Taking Brink as a bounce-back candidate at her current ADP is exactly the type of calculated risk I’m willing to take.
Round 9
49. Aneesah Morrow, CON (F19) — Snellings
50. Erica Wheeler, LA (G24) — Moody
51. Elizabeth Williams, CHI (C8) — Chandan
52. DeWanna Bonner, PHX (F20) — Becquey
53. Bridget Carleton, POR (F21) — LaCroix
54. Ezi Magbegor, SEA (C9) — Kaiser
Team rosters are presented in first-round pick order. Picks indicated in parentheses in this manner: (Round.Pick)
Team Snellings
F1 A’ja Wilson, LV (Pick: 1.1)
F2 Nneka Ogwumike, LA (Pick: 2.6)
F3 Napheesa Collier, MIN (Pick: 3.1)
F4 Rickea Jackson, CHI (Pick: 6.6)
F5 Aneesah Morrow, CON (Pick: 9.1)
G1 Kahleah Copper, PHX (Pick: 4.6)
G2 Chelsea Gray, LV (Pick: 5.1)
G3 Jewell Loyd, LV (Pick: 7.1)
C1 Brittney Griner, CON (Pick: 8.6)
Team Moody
F1 Satou Sabally, NY (Pick: 3.2)
F2 Gabby Williams, GS (Pick: 4.5)
F3 Alanna Smith, DAL (Pick: 7.2)
F4 Cameron Brink, LA (Pick: 8.5)
G1 Caitlin Clark, IND (Pick: 1.2)
G2 Skylar Diggins, CHI (Pick: 2.5)
G3 Ariel Atkins, LA (Pick: 6.5)
G4 Erica Wheeler, LA (Pick: 9.2)
C1 Kamilla Cardoso, CHI (Pick: 5.2)
Team Chandan
F1 Alyssa Thomas, PHX (Pick: 1.3)
F2 Jonquel Jones, NY (Pick: 5.3)
G1 Kelsey Plum, LA (Pick: 2.4)
G2 Jackie Young, LV (Pick: 3.3)
G3 Courtney Williams, MIN (Pick: 4.4)
G4 Olivia Miles, MIN (Pick: 6.4)
G5 Veronica Burton, GS (Pick: 7.3)
C1 Brionna Jones, ATL (Pick: 8.4)
C2 Elizabeth Williams, CHI (Pick: 9.3)
Chandan: I like to go “best player available” with most of my picks, and then see how my roster shakes out. Taking Alyssa Thomas, Kelsey Plum and Jonquel Jones gave me a base of players with a solid floor, but then I started looking for upside.
I’m eager to see how former TCU star Olivia Miles fits in with the Minnesota Lynx, as she has the potential to accrue fantasy points in ways that don’t depend on scoring. With Brionna Jones, I’m looking to stash her in my IR spot, and be aggressive with free agent streamers.
Team Becquey
F1 Breanna Stewart, NY (Pick: 1.4)
F2 Dearica Hamby, LA (Pick: 2.3)
F3 DeWanna Bonner, PHX (Pick: 9.4)
G1 Kelsey Mitchell, IND (Pick: 3.4)
G2 Arike Ogunbowale, DAL (Pick: 4.3)
G3 Azzi Fudd, DAL (Pick: 6.3)
G4 Brittney Sykes, TOR (Pick: 8.3)
C1 Tina Charles, CON (Pick: 5.4)
C2 Lauren Betts, WSH (Pick: 7.4)
Team LaCroix
F1 Aliyah Boston, IND (Pick: 2.2)
F2 Azura Stevens, CHI (Pick: 4.2)
F3 Kiki Iriafen, WSH (Pick: 5.5)
F4 Kayla Thornton, GS (Pick: 7.5)
F5 Bridget Carleton, POR (Pick: 9.5)
G1 Paige Bueckers, DAL (Pick: 1.5)
G2 Allisha Gray, ATL (Pick: 3.5)
G3 Marina Mabrey, TOR (Pick: 6.2)
G4 Kayla McBride, MIN (Pick: 8.2)
Team Kaiser
Kaiser: The fact that I ended up with three centers wasn’t intentional. Those were three players whom I pinpointed as high-upside options that qualified at the F/C position, which was an area of need for my team given my heavy emphasis on guards in the first half of the draft. The two Seattle Storm bigs — Dominique Malonga and Ezi Magbegor — will be counted on heavily on a rebuilding squad that lacks the proven scorers we’ve been accustomed to seeing on their roster over the years.
Malonga, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA draft, averaged 7.7 PPG and 4.6 RPG in 14.3 MPG as a rookie last season, and I’m particularly excited to see the jump she makes in her second season if her minutes rise above 20 per game as expected.
F1 Angel Reese, ATL (Pick: 1.6)
F2 Natasha Howard, MIN (Pick: 5.6)
G1 Sabrina Ionescu, NY (Pick: 2.1)
G2 Sonia Citron, WSH (Pick: 3.6)
G3 Rhyne Howard, ATL (Pick: 4.1)
G4 Natasha Cloud, NY (Pick: 8.1)
C1 Dominique Malonga, SEA (Pick: 6.1)
C2 Shakira Austin, WSH (Pick: 7.6)
C3 Ezi Magbegor, SEA (Pick: 9.6)
