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August 13, 2025 Must- See Moment - A'ja Wilson Makes History Aaron West SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author

For our conversation, I wanted to find out what retirement looks like for Coach Dorrance and pick his brain on the state of the game and what changes could be made going forward. That proved to be a rather easy endeavor. Dorrance was incredibly thoughtful, and you can wind him up and let him go on a number of topics and get deep, thorough answers... July 13, 2025 Catching up with Anson Dorrance Steve Pimental In my short time at Let’s Fantasy Game, I have gotten to write a lot of fun articles. I love making Sparket picks, doing deep-dives into which teams are WNBA title contenders and highlighting athletes I love to root for . I’m not sure if any of that can compare, however, to getting to speak to a true legend in women’s sports. Casual women’s soccer fans may not know the name Anson Dorrance, but they almost certainly know about the University of North Carolina Women’s Soccer program. For decades, that program has been known for winning NCAA Championships and producing U.S. Women’s National Team players. When Dorrance retired from coaching last year after 47 seasons coaching at North Carolina and 45 as the women’s soccer coach, he did so with too many records to count. He won 1,106 games as a head coach, and his 21 NCAA women’s soccer championships are the most for one coach in any Division I sport. A big part of any college coach’s legacy is what his players go on to do after college, and Dorrance has some incredible records in that regard as well. Over 55 UNC players have gone on to appear in international games for the USWNT. Since 1991, there have been at least two former UNC players on every U.S. Women’s World Cup roster. It would be impossible to chronicle all of North Carolina’s success under Anson Dorrance in one article, so I’m not even going to try. For more insight into how he built the North Carolina soccer program, Dorrance recommends The Man Watching by Tim Crothers. For our conversation, I wanted to find out what retirement looks like for Coach Dorrance and pick his brain on the state of the game and what changes could be made going forward. That proved to be a rather easy endeavor. Dorrance was incredibly thoughtful, and you can wind him up and let him go on a number of topics and get deep, thorough answers. That isn’t shocking for someone who was well-known in his career for rousing pre-game speeches and is an accomplished public speaker. It is surprising, however, for a self-described “radical introvert.” “I don't have any issues speaking publicly, because I'm not shy and I have extraordinary confidence, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm introverted, and it took me late into my 60s to actually discover that,” Dorrance said. Like many introverts, Dorrance loves reading, which he has been able to do a lot more in retirement. Dorrance said before he retired, he was getting 200 emails a day. Now that the emails have slowed down, he has more quiet time to read. “Well, I love to read. So I'm back to reading books. I love reading The New York Times Sunday paper. I sort of read that cover to cover, so not just the news parts, but I like the opinion pages and the book reviews,” Dorrance said. In addition to reading, Dorrance has had a lot of time to watch women’s soccer. He has been following the European championships closely, catching up on teams that he hasn’t always gotten to see play in the past. He has also enjoyed watching several of his former players get a chance with the USWNT. “So in the last recent cycle of national team games, Avery Patterson has done extraordinarily well as have Claudia Dickey and Ally Sentnor, and Sam Meza, so it's been really enjoyable watching our kids play,” Dorrance said. Dorrance hasn’t just been watching international play; he has also had a front-row seat for The Soccer Tournament, a $1 million winner-take-all tournament held in Cary, North Carolina. That tournament offers a unique format that Coach Dorrance would like to see replicated at the highest levels of the game. Rather than settling ties with penalty kicks, which Dorrance compares to breaking a tie in a basketball game with a free-throw contest, TST sets a target score based on the score at the end of regulation. So if the score is 2-0 at the end of regulation, the first team to score three goals wins. This way, every game ends on a game-winning goal. There are no penalty kicks, and no time wasting. Fans don’t have to watch the team that’s winning take two minutes on every free kick, since you cannot win by simply letting the time run out. The other big rules change Dorrance advocates for is what he calls a “sin bin,” which would basically be like a penalty box in hockey. Right now, a referee’s only tools for players who commit a serious infraction is a yellow card or a red card. A yellow card doesn’t really hurt the team, and in some cases it encourages players to push the rules further because they know the referee doesn’t want to give them a red card. A sin bin would allow referees to send off a player for a period of time before allowing them back on the pitch. Now, if a player makes a reckless challenge or stops an obvious goal-scoring opportunity, that player’s team has to play shorthanded for a while. This would provide a much greater disincentive to fouling than the current rules. While I loved hearing about Coach Dorrance’s time at North Carolina and picking his brain about the state of the game, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to ask him about a former player near and dear to my heart, Let’s Fantasy Game’s Head of Content, Brittani Bartok. Bartok was a three-time National Champion at North Carolina and later served as Creative Director for UNC Women’s Soccer. “Well, I think she's an extraordinary artist, and when she was doing social media for me, the stuff that she produced is some of the best stuff we have ever produced. So I really think she has a unique artistic flair that I think needs to be expressed in some fashion because I think she is just a very talented and creative artist,” Dorrance said. “I joke with her all the time, and this is genuine, I consider her the greatest six-minute player, and sometimes I reduced it to six-second player, in UNC women's Soccer history, because the amount of goals and assists she had for the minutes that she played is probably the greatest points per minute.” For all of Anson Dorrance’s success at North Carolina, coaching Brittani Bartok and countless others, it almost never happened. Dorrance went to law school after his own soccer playing career, but his former coach, Dr. Marvin Allen, recommended Dorrance to succeed him at North Carolina. The Athletic Director Mr. Bill Cobey went with Dr. Allen’s recommendation, and the rest is history. Despite never planning to coach, Dorrance fell in love with it. He coached the men’s team from 1977 to 1988, and he began the women’s program at North Carolina in 1979, where he stayed until he retired. “I want to consider myself someone that's involved in human development, not just soccer development,” Dorrance said. “So teaching people how to live a principal-centered life, I think, has been critical for our success.” SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author Steve Pimental would rather write 20,000 words about Stef Dolson than write two sentences about himself. He lives near Chicago with his beagle/shepard mix, Hootie.

Meeting of MVP Leaders! For the second time in as many weeks, Vegas and Minnesota will square off... July 31, 2025 Spice Level on 100 This Week in the W EJ Arocho Meeting of MVP Leaders For the second time in as many weeks, Vegas and Minnesota will square off. Last Friday, the Lynx handled the Aces in dominant fashion, with reigning league MVP A’ja Wilson held to one of her lowest point totals of the season (15). Napheesa Collier put together a 25-point performance, striking just above her season average and showing why she’s leading the race to this point. Saturday’s matchup can do one of two things: Further distance Phee from the pack and solidify her position as the top dog or inch A’ja closer to possibly winning her 4th Award in 6 years. The Hottest Win Streak in the League No Caitlin? No problem! The Indiana Fever have found ways to win with their superstar sidelined, putting together three consecutive against Vegas, Chicago and Phoenix. They’re 3-1 since All-Star Weekend and getting huge production from back court duo Kelsey Mitchell and Aari McDonald. Four games this week will see rematches with Dallas, Seattle, Phoenix and Los Angeles. The Sparks are the only team of those four to have defeated Indy in their last meeting. A strong week could see Indiana ascend the standings, possibly even as high as #3. Brink is Back! Cameron Brink’s return from injury might just be the spark LA needs to bolster confidence for a postseason appearance. Right now, they sit toward the bottom of the standings in 10th place at 11-15. Her first game back last week vs Vegas saw limited action and understandably; 14 minutes. Once she gets more reps in and finds her rhythm, her two-way game will come to life and really ignite this team that already has incredible pieces, capable of upsetting any team on any given night. Returning to form will be a process, but it could all click at just the right time! Tough games this week against Seattle (4th in the standings) and Indiana (6th in the standings) will test her return. Brittney Griner and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Wednesday’s game between Atlanta and Dallas saw tensions flare in the 3rd quarter. A hard foul on Haley Jones and some words for the ref earned BG two fouls and subsequently, an ejection. ATL went on to snatch the 3-point win, but 6’9” is hard to replace. Contact between BG and the ref is believed to have taken place, prompting that second foul which got her tossed. If the league decides to further review and investigate, a suspension could loom. 2025 hasn’t been her best season in terms of numbers, but a career-low 10.6 PPG is still making a big impact for the Dream, one of five players averaging double-figures. They’ve been up and down since All-Star Weekend but currently sit at 5th in the standings and want to continue rising. BG is a huge piece to their puzzle and must stay on the floor. Upcoming games against Phoenix, Washington and Chicago will test them. Can Seattle Weather the Storm? Not much separates #2 through #6 in the standings right now, and Seattle finds themselves smack dab in the middle at #4 with a 16-11 record. This week will surely be a test, facing a new-look LA team tonight, followed by games on Sunday and Tuesday versus Indiana (who won their last meeting) and title favorite Minnesota. When Seattle is clicking, they can handle any team in the league… yes, even the Lynx, which was saw back in June. In fact, they’ve also handed the league’s second-best team losses in both meetings this season. Incredible firepower from Nneka and Skylar, rock solid bench production from Dominique Malonga and lockdown defense by Gabby Williams have propelled this team through twenty-seven games so far. A 3-0 or even 2-1 showing could see them rise in the standings come end-of-week. Two Words: EMMA MEESSEMAN If you ask Minnesota Head Coach Cheryl Reeve, she’ll tell you Emma made the wrong choice by joining New York. Well, the Liberty certainly don’t think so! After expediting the visa process, the Belgian superstar (and former Finals MVP) arrived in New York on Wednesday and could join the team as early as today! If we do, in fact, see her make her debut this week, it could certainly make for a 3-0 record (two games vs Connecticut & one vs Dallas). She will instantly fill a void left by Breanna Stewart (out with injury). One of the most versatile players in the world, Emma can both play and defend inside and out at the most elite level. Of course, with Stewie back in the mix (with JJ, Sabrina, Natasha, etc.), this lineup could catapult New York to back-to-back titles. SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author EJ Arocho is Mr. Women’s Basketball and lives in New Jersey. Lives by the shore but looking to make waves everywhere!

August 12, 2025 Aaron Must-See Moment - Jordyn Bloomer Aaron West SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author

With the Euros moving to the knockout stage, now is the perfect time to enter LFG’s Sparket contest. We also have the last WNBA games before the All-Star break as well as three quarterfinal matches, and they will all be more fun to watch with your fantasy entry on the line... July 16, 2025 Sparket Picks for 7/16-7/20 Steve Pimental With the Euros moving to the knockout stage, now is the perfect time to enter LFG’s Sparket contest . We also have the last WNBA games before the All-Star break on Wednesday as well as three quarterfinal matches, and they will all be more fun to watch with your fantasy entry on the line. With it being the last slate of games before the break, I would be sure to check the latest injury news before you lock in any of these picks. I think some teams could be careful with some nagging injuries and look to give some veteran players extra rest heading into the break. 07/16/25 Norway Winner (2.1X) vs. Italy I know it is close, but I’m not sure why Italy is even a slight favorite. They probably don’t have any pressure after making the quarterfinals for the first time since 2013, but I think Norways is probably the better team. Norway is still looking for its first clean sheet, which could be a problem, but they won all three of their matches, including against hosts Switzlerland. Italy won just once and has a negative goal differential, but snuck out of the group because Portugal disappointed against Belguim. These teams played twice last year and both ended in draws, so that is probably the most likely result in regulation. Norway has had four different goalscorers through four games and if this match does go to penalties, I trust them more. Highest Scoring Team Minnesota Lynx (3.6X) Phoenix’s odds are tempting, especially since they are tied with Minnesota for the second-most ppg in the league. That being said, Minnesota has also allowed the fewest ppg this season. Golden State is second, Seattle is third and Phoenix ranks fifth. I think Minnesota is going to be extra motivated to win at home going into the All-Star Break, especially after they lost at Phoenix and at Chicago last week. Minnesota is still the only team that is undefeated at home, and if they can keep that streak going, it would go a long way towards being the highest-scoring team on the slate. Wilson averaged 35.3 points in three games against Dallas last season, and while the Wings’ defense has improved some, they don’t have anyone in the frontcourt who can slow Wilson down. Top Points Scorer A’ja Wilson (3.8X) I think we can eliminate Breanna Stewart right off the bat. She has shot below 40 percent from the field in five straight games and while she is too good to struggle much longer, I’m not willing to go down that road in this slate. You can make reasonable arguments for Kelsey Mitchell and Paige Bueckers, but Wilson is averaging 21.5 ppg, compared to 19.2 for Mitchell and 18.3 for Bueckers. Wilson also has the best matchup, as only the Sun and Sparks have allowed more points than the Wings this season. Wilson averaged 35.3 points in three games against the Wings last season, four more than against any other team. Dallas still doesn’t have anyone in the frontcourt who can slow Wilson down, and we’re getting pretty decent odds. 07/17/25 Sweden Winner (2.6X) vs. England Sweden was arguably the most impressive team in the group stage and their reward is facing the defending champions in the quarterfinals. Sweden has an older team and that could eventually hurt them, but with four days between contests, I think they will be ready for England. These teams drew both of their qualifying matches last year and Sweden has lost just one of its last five matches against England. In their big group-stage matches, England lost 2-1 to France while Sweden defeated Germany 4-1. I’m not sure I would pick Sweden to win outright but I think these teams are pretty equal, so I’ll gladly take 2.6x odds. 7/19/25 France Winner (1.7X) vs. Germany Just in case you thought I would only pick underdogs, I’m going with the big favorite here. As we mentioned above, France came through their big group-stage test with flying colors while Germany stumbled. France’s most impressive match may have been their 5-2 win over the Netherlands to clinch their group win. France had a +7 goal differential in the group stage while Germany was even, and I just don’t see how Germany is going to bounce back from their embarrassing loss to Sweden. SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author

During the preseason, new Dallas Wings general manager Curt Miller called this a foundational season for his team. The Wings came into the season with not only a new general manager but a first-time head coach in Chris Koclanes... June 16, 2025 What is Going On With the Last-Place Dallas Wings? Steve Pimental During the preseason, new Dallas Wings general manager Curt Miller called this a foundational season for his team. The Wings came into the season with not only a new general manager but a first-time head coach in Chris Koclanes. The youngest team in the league featured four rookies led by number one overall pick and Rookie of the Year Candidate Paige Bueckers, as well as new acquisitions DiJonai Carrington, NaLyssa Smith, Tyasha Harris, and Myisha Hines-Allen. And yet, despite all the turnover and the admission by Miller that the team was looking to build a foundation in Dallas beyond wins and losses, I thought the Wings would at worst be in the playoff race all season. Their starting lineup of Bueckers, Ogunbowale, Carrington, Smith, and Hines-Allen had no glaring weaknesses, while Harris and Teaira McCowan were substantial pieces off the bench. Instead of fighting for a playoff spot, the Wings are hurtling towards their 13th losing season in the last 15 years. At 1-11, the Wings are entrenched in last place, and fans would be forgiven for turning their attention to what the team will look like next year with Bueckers, another high draft pick, and presumably some more offseason acquisitions. With that in mind, this seems like a good time to look at the foundation the Wings are building and what it means for the rest of the season and beyond. I suppose the place to start for the Wings is that things are not as bad as their 1-11 record indicates. Their -7.7 net rating, while 11th in the league, is well ahead of Chicago and Connecticut. Unless Dallas suffers a major injury or decides to completely tank, they almost certainly won’t finish with the league’s worst record. Since Paige Bueckers returned from her four-game absence, their new starting lineup of Bueckers, Ogunbowale, Carrington, Hines-Allen, and rookie Luisa Geiselsoder has a 14.1 net rating in 34 minutes. That being said, more growing pains are likely coming. Tyasha Harris, who leads the Wings in +/- at +15, will miss the remainder of the season with a left knee injury. I have no idea why Harris didn’t replace Bueckers in the starting lineup, but the backcourt is suddenly awfully thin. Kaila Charles has given Dallas good minutes off the bench, but rookie third-round pick J.J. Quinerly is the only point guard on the roster behind Bueckers. Geiselsoder and Teaira McCowan, who is the only other player on the team with a positive +/-, will miss the next couple of weeks for Eurobasket. Their minutes will be replaced at least in part by Li Yueru, whom Dallas acquired from Seattle for a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 third-round pick. Yueru has been very effective in limited minutes off the bench for Seattle this season, but it could take some time for her to gel with her teammates, as it did for Geiselsoder. Given their personnel, this team was always going to be better on offense than on defense, but I hoped that if they were average on defense and above-average on offense, they would make the playoffs. Instead, they are average on offense and third-worst in defensive rating, which is how they have the third-worst net rating by a comfortable margin. I think Dallas can still get to an average defense. Especially after McCowan and Geiselsoder return from EuroBasket. Wings’ opponents are shooting 38.5 percent on threes, second only to the Chicago Sky. If that improves just a little bit, it could go a long way. Offensively, Dallas needs to do a better job creating open threes. Only Seattle and Washington have attempted fewer threes per game, and only Washington has scored a lower percentage of its points on threes. Dallas is fifth in the percentage of three-point makes that are unassisted. Ogunbowale, Bueckers, and Carrington are all capable of making threes off the dribble, but that doesn’t mean they should. Dallas is much better when those three are getting into the paint, either to score or find open shooters. As much as the Wings want to build a foundation for the future, the reality is this was likely always going to be a transitional year. Only the rookies and third-year player Maddy Siegrist are under contract next season. I suspect Arike Ogunbowale will move on following seven seasons in Dallas, leaving the Wings to find a co-star for Bueckers in the draft or free agency. While I’m sure Dallas would love to have a better record this season, their most important development this season is that Paige Bueckers looks every bit as advertised. She is averaging 17.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.1 assists while shooting 46.8 percent from the field, 41.7 percent on threes, and 81.8% on free throws. I would love to see her shooting more threes and getting to the line more, but with Ogunbowale and Carrington leading the team in usage, that is unlikely to happen this season. Dallas may be heading to the lottery yet again, but things are better than a glance at the standings would indicate, and they will be one of the most interesting teams in the offseason. SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author Steve Pimental would rather write 20,000 words about Stef Dolson than write two sentences about himself. He lives near Chicago with his beagle/shepard mix, Hootie.

July 10, 2025 Claudia's Fantasy Pick Claudia Bellofatto SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author

If A’ja continues this torrid streak she’s on, she may just overtake Napheesa for top MVP candidate by season’s end. The last two games have seen her carry Vegas to wins over Golden State and Dallas while averaging 35.5 PPG & 13.0 RPG. July 18, 2025 WNBA All-Star Weekend Predictions, Mid-Season Awards & More! EJ Arocho All-Star Predictions: Skills Challenge- Natasha Cloud 3PT Contest- Sabrina Ionescu All-Star Game- Team Clark, 110-105 All-Star Game MVP- Kelsey Mitchell Mid-Season Awards: MVP- Napheesa Collier DPOY- Gabby Williams ROY- Paige Bueckers Most Improved- Kayla Thornton Sixth Player- Naz Hillmon Following the Break… New York Getting Hot Again The Liberty have weathered the storm without Jonquel Jones and head into All-Star Weekend on a 3-game win streak, including a 21-point domination over Indiana. They’ll face the Fever again on Tuesday, but this time around, the lineup will look a little different as JJ is set to return from injury which has sidelined her since June 19th! They’ve been a dangerous team WITHOUT her but are widely considered title favorites WITH her. For the second time in less than a week, they’ll take on a Caitlin Clark-less Indiana team looking to stay above .500. Allisha & Atlanta Allisha Gray will have to recover from this weekend’s festivities quickly if she wants to lead the Dream to back-to-back wins over Vegas and Phoenix on Tuesday and Wednesday. She’s participating in the trifecta: Skills Challenge (defending champ), 3-Point Contest (defending champ) & All-Star Game. Atlanta will be facing these two teams for the first time this season and will have to do so without their 2nd leading scorer Rhyne Howard who remains sidelined for July. Vegas is a team who can beat anybody when they get fully clicking and Phoenix was the hottest team in June who currently sits at #3 in the standings. A’ja in ATTACK MODE If A’ja continues this torrid streak she’s on, she may just overtake Napheesa for top MVP candidate by season’s end. The last two games have seen her carry Vegas to wins over Golden State and Dallas while averaging 35.5 PPG & 13.0 RPG. A one-woman show! She’ll look to bring all the smoke vs former Gamecock teammate Allisha Gray & Atlanta on Tuesday before a highly anticipated rematch with Indiana on Thursday. The Fever handed Vegas a 27-point loss to start the month, something that is surely still fresh on A’ja’s mind. When she gets cooking, there isn’t a defender on Earth who can contain her! Don’t Count Out The Sparks! With a core 4 like Kelsey, Rickea, Dearica & Azura, you’d have to be off your rocker to count Los Angeles out! They average a combined 65 points per game and head into the weekend with a surge of confidence on a 2-game win streak (Connecticut, Washington) and will face both teams again this week. That could increase to a 4-game win streak, which could do wonders for this team’s confidence. This team has been competitive the entire season, despite their sub .500 record. Their last three losses have come by a combined 26 points! The Sparks have an extraordinary amount of talent and have the potential to be one of July’s hottest teams if everything clicks just right. With four players averaging double-figures, opponents have a lot of firepower to try and contain. SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author EJ Arocho is Mr. Women’s Basketball and lives in New Jersey. Lives by the shore but looking to make waves everywhere!

June 5, 2025 Jaden's NWSL Picks - Update Jaden Fode SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author

RotoWire expert Joe Mayo offers his top WNBA risers and fallers for Week 14, including Dominique Malonga, whose role has been increasing for the Seattle Storm. As the regular season winds down, there are still opportunities to add viable fantasy options amid ongoing injuries and late-season development. Some players are hitting their stride at the right time, while others are losing traction and seeing their roles decline. August 25, 2025 Fantasy WNBA Week 14: Top Risers and Fallers Joe Mayo Top Fantasy WNBA Risers for Week 14 Lexie Hull, Indiana Fever: Hull has provided inconsistent production throughout the 2025 campaign, though she's been trending upward of late. The 25-year-old guard has started five of the Fever's last six games after coming off the bench in late July and early August. During that span, Hull has averaged 10.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.2 steals while shooting 43.3 percent from the field in 33.3 minutes per game. The Stanford product has also posted at least 17 ESPN fantasy points in five of those outings. With Sophie Cunningham (knee) joining Aari McDonald (foot) and Sydney Colson (knee) on the sideline for the remainder of the season, Hull should continue to receive an increased workload -- especially if Caitlin Clark (groin/ankle) remains out for Week 14. Hull's ability to rack up multiple steals per game has been critical to her recent fantasy production, though her efficiency from beyond the arc has also been a positive sign. Dominique Malonga , Seattle Storm: Malonga also appeared on the risers list in Week 11, and her fantasy value has continued to trend upward since. The rookie center remains a key contributor off Seattle's bench and has posted at least 18 ESPN fantasy points in five consecutive appearances, including three straight outings with 28 or more. During that five-game span, Malonga has averaged 14.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.2 assists while shooting 57.9 percent from the field across 22.8 minutes per game. The 19-year-old may not crack the starting lineup behind Nneka Ogwumike and Ezi Magbegor in the frontcourt, but Malonga has been a double-double threat of late and has also recorded three consecutive games with at least 15 points. The Storm play three games in Week 14, which also boosts the No. 2 overall pick's fantasy outlook. Dana Evans , Las Vegas Aces: Evans has maintained a relatively consistent role off the bench for the Aces this season and has impressed in back-to-back games. The 27-year-old amassed 38 points in 43 total minutes over those two outings, posting 21 and 34 ESPN fantasy points. Evans has also been extremely efficient recently, shooting 58.1 percent from the field and 68.4 percent from beyond the arc across 16.7 minutes per game over her last seven appearances. While her fantasy value remains largely tied to her scoring, the 5-foot-6 guard has proven to be a viable option in deeper fantasy leagues. Evans has averaged 14.7 ESPN fantasy points in that seven-game span, including three outings with at least 17. Key Fantasy WNBA Fallers to Avoid This Week Hailey Van Lith , Chicago Sky: Van Lith has enjoyed several short stretches of increased playing time this season, though she has logged only four total minutes in the Sky's last three matchups. The rookie has struggled with efficiency when on the floor, shooting just 33.3 percent from the field over six appearances in August. During that span, she has averaged 2.2 points and 1.7 assists across 11.2 minutes per game. Buried behind Ariel Atkins, who has played in eight straight games following an extended absence, as well as Rachel Banham , Kia Nurse and Sevgi Uzun , Van Lith isn't likely to command significant minutes in the near future. Lexie Brown , Seattle Storm: Brown played a meaningful role off the bench in her five outings following the All-Star break, though she has since been reduced to an emergency depth option. The 30-year-old guard hasn't seen the court in seven of the club's last eight games, logging 12 minutes in a 35-point loss during that span. Brown is now buried on the depth chart and has become the club's third backcourt option off the bench behind Erica Wheeler and Tiffany Mitchell . Even in deeper leagues, Brown's fantasy value is virtually non-existent following the Brittney Sykes trade Aug. 5, which further limited her path to playing time. DiJonai Carrington , Minnesota Lynx: Carrington enjoyed meaningful playing time immediately after being traded to the Lynx on Aug. 3. However, the Baylor product has experienced a recent dip in minutes, logging fewer than 16 in three consecutive outings. During that span, she has averaged just 4.0 points and 1.3 rebounds across 13.0 minutes per game, shooting 36.4 percent from the field on limited attempts. With a deep backcourt group and superstar Napheesa Collier returning from a seven-game absence due to a sprained right ankle, Carrington isn't guaranteed significant minutes. While the 27-year-old guard may still provide a spark off the bench, the Lynx have plenty of mouths to feed on the offensive end. Fantasy WNBA Player to Watch in Week 14 Jessica Shepard , Minnesota Lynx: Shepard started seven consecutive games for Minnesota while Napheesa Collier was sidelined with a sprained right ankle. However, Collier returned to action in Sunday's win over the Fever, during which Shepard went scoreless in just 10 minutes of action. The 28-year-old center was a double-double threat off the bench before her impressive stretch in the starting lineup, so it's too early to draw conclusions from one quiet performance. Shepard has proven to be a solid contributor off the bench, though her playing time will be worth monitoring moving forward. Those looking for up-to-the-minute fantasy WNBA news can check out RotoWire's WNBA Injury Report and WNBA Lineups . RotoWire also features Top WNBA Picks and Player Props on a daily basis to help find the best betting lines for each night's slate. SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author

August 5, 2025 Let's Fantasy Gals - Ep 2 Kelly Singh & Sam Holt SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author

Thanks in part to having an expansion team this year, a whopping 22 rookies are averaging at least 10 minutes per game. It would be impossible to discuss all of them, so instead, I have decided to single out the ones I find most interesting, including a few who have struggled for playing time. June 25, 2025 Eight Intriguing Rookies to Watch Steve Pimental In the lead-up to the 2025 WNBA draft, fans and media seemed more focused on who wasn’t in the draft than who was. Several of the top prospects, most notably Olivia Miles, chose to return to college and lucrative NIL deals rather than enter the draft. Since then, however, several rookies have made huge contributions to their new teams. Most of the teams that have exceeded their preseason expectations did so, at least in part, due to the contributions of their rookies. The WNBA schedule is longer than ever, and most of these rookies entered the season after having played a full season in college or overseas. There is a decent chance some of these rookies will hit a wall in the coming weeks and months, which makes now the perfect time to check in on how they have performed and on their outlook for the future. Thanks in part to having an expansion team this year, a whopping 22 rookies are averaging at least 10 minutes per game. It would be impossible to discuss all of them, so instead, I have decided to single out the ones I find most interesting, including a few who have struggled for playing time. Even with so many rookies contributing, some of the most intriguing long-term prospects have played sparingly so far. Paige Bueckers, Guard, Dallas Wings Dallas has struggled this season , but it is difficult to place much of the blame at the feet of Bueckers. Her -0.7 net rating is highest on the team among the nine players who have started at least one game for Dallas. Bueckers leads all rookies in minutes, points, assists, and steals per game. Only two players in the entire league have averaged more steals per game than Bueckers this season. I would like to see her take more than 3.4 threes per game, and she probably needs to have the ball in her hands even more than she already does, but the future looks bright in Dallas. Good players are going to want to play with her, which could be crucial in an offseason where nearly everyone will be a free agent. Sonia Cintron, Guard, Washington Mystics Remember when the Chicago Sky traded the third overall pick (which became Cintron) and a 2027 pick swap to the Mystics so that they could chase the eighth seen for one year with Ariel Atkins? She is unlikely to let Sky fans forget that anytime soon. Cintron has been a revelation for Washington, carrying the offense along with Most-Improved candidate Brittney Sykes. Cintron is second among rookies in minutes and points per game, while ranking third in rebounds and sixth in assists. Behind the play of Cintron and fellow rookie Kiki Iriafen, the Mystics’ rebuild appears to be ahead of schedule. Kiki Iriafen, Forward, Washington Mystics The Mystics arguably have the best young frontcourt in the league with Iriafen and Shakira Austin. Iriafen is fifth in the league in rebounds per game, and she is a big part of why the Mystics are third in the league in rebounding rate. She is shooting just 50 percent from the field, which is pretty low for someone who doesn’t shoot any threes, but I think she’ll get easier shots once the Mystics surround her with more offensive firepower. Dominique Malonga, Center, Seattle Storm Even after Seattle traded Yi Yuerli to the Dallas Wings, Malonga has struggled to find consistent playing time despite outplaying Ezi Magbegor. Malonga is averaging nearly twice as many points per 36 minutes as Seattle’s starting center while shooting more than 10 percentage points better from the field. Seattle is a surprising 9-5 and Magbegor is a free agent after this season, so Malonga will likely have to wait until next season for significant playing time. Until then, she needs to try to cut down on her turnovers and fouls. Malonga is averaging 4.0 turnovers and 5.2 fouls per 36 minutes. Te-Hina Paopao, Guard, Atlanta Dream LFG readers are probably getting sick of me raving about Paopao, but I had to include her on this list for one important reason: her 77.5 true shooting percentage leads the league among players with at least 21 minutes this season. Kennedy Burke is second at 70.9 percent. Paopap is shooting an absurd 57.1 percent on 6.9 threes per 36 minutes. I would like to see her actually get up more threes, and play more minutes, but like Malonga, Paopao is unlike to play a whole lot more while her team is winning. Paopao is fifth among rookies in fantasy points per 36 minutes, which illustrates her productivity when she is on the court. Like most of the rookies in this class, she has to cut down on her turnovers, but at the very least, the 18th overall pick in the draft has proven she is one of the best backup point guards in the league. Lexi Held, Guard, Phoenix Mercury Someday soon, I will take a deep dive into the Mercury and the four rookies averaging more than 20 minutes per game. While their three stars deservedly get most of the credit, this team is third in the standings because all of the unproven role players have exceeded expectations. Held has arguably been the best of the Mercury rookies, averaging 15.2 points per 36 minutes. She picked up the scoring slack at times with Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper out, but the undrafted rookie out of DePaul has settled into a secondary-playmaking role with the stars back in the lineup. Aneesah Morrow, Forward, Connecticut Sun I find it concernng that Morrow has played just 11.8 mpg despite playing for one of the worst teams in the league. Tina Charles and Oliva Nelson-Ododa are established vets, but getting Morrow on-court reps should be a priority for this rebuilding team. Morrow has averaged 17.0 points and 9.2 rebounds per 36 minutes on 40.4 percent shooting from the field. She appears to be living up to her pre-draft billing as a budget Angel Reese. Hailey Van Lith, Guard, Chicago Sky Speaking of a budget Angel Reese, Van Lith was Chicago’s second pick in the first round of the draft, just like Reese was last season. Also like Reese, Van Lith has struggled from the field, shooting 37.5 percent. Van Lith’s playing time has been wildly inconsistent despite Courtney Vandersloot’s torn ACL. The Sky needed Van Lith to step in for Vandersloot and run a million pick-and-rolls with Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. Instead, Van Lith has come off the bench in every game this season and is averaging just 11.8 points and 3.6 assists per 36 minutes. Until she starts averaging more assists than turnovers, Van Lith isn’t even guaranteed to make it as a backup in this league. She was much better on the ball than off-ball in college, so my hope is that Chicago will give her the ball more once they are officially eliminated from the playoff race. She currently ranks sixth on the team in usage behind Elizabeth Williams and Maddy Westbeld. SEE MORE ARTICLES & VIDEOS About the Author