Last Updated on May 3, 2026 2:13 am by Keston Paul | Published: May 2, 2026

The deeper I have gotten into the fantasy basketball space is the more that I just enjoy basketball as a sport. The majority of my knowledge is NBA-based, but I have been following the WNBA in recent years, and at this time of year, I may even catch one or two quarters of a EuroLeague game if everything lines up right for me on a particular day. The amount of time I invest into following the NBA cannot be the same for the WNBA (or EuroLeague), unfortunately, but all I’m trying to say is that I have a passion for this.

I will preface everything in this article by saying this: I am not a WNBA expert and there are definitely people out there who know more than I do; however, as I said above, my interest is real and I believe that I have built up enough knowledge over a few years to tackle something like this. I listen to smart content creators who talk about the WNBA, and I also do my own research.

For this article, I also downloaded WNBA stats from the past three seasons (2025, 2024, 2023) into an Excel sheet to calculate fantasy-point averages and fantasy totals. Everything in there may not be completely perfect, as players who were on multiple teams throughout a season showed up multiple times on the sheet, but that gives me a way to process how those players fit into different situations. Also, the past stats and rankings are obviously not meant be directly transferable to what a player will do in 2026. They provide a ballpark estimate of possibilities with appropriate context being applied.

With all of that said, this is a fun one-off article for me. SportsEthos will not be bringing you season-long WNBA fantasy coverage, but consider this a gift to any of our readers who want to try WNBA fantasy and might be feeling a bit lost. Even for the more experienced WNBA fantasy managers, I believe that what I am highlighting should be useful, but you can skip over the basics.

View this as a discussion and advice column. I will provide my “confidence level” for each of my picks and you can come to your own conclusions based on what I present. Remember, this is purely fantasy-based and not a reflection of real-life views on any player.

I have 10 sleepers and 10 busts with a few honorable mentions for each section who will be discussed lightly.

The Basics

Default Rosters
Two Guards (G)
Three Forwards/Centers (F/C)
One UTIL
Three Bench
One IR (Injury Reserve)

Double-check your own league to see if your commissioner customized any of these settings.

ESPN Default WNBA Fantasy Scoring
Each Point = 1 Fantasy Point
Each Rebound = 1 Fantasy Point
Each Assist = 1 Fantasy Point
Each Steal = 2 Fantasy Points
Each Block = 2 Fantasy Points
Each 3-Pointer = 1 Fantasy Point

Double-check your own league to see if your commissioner customized any of these settings.

The No. 1 player, A’ja Wilson, averaged 45.1 fantasy points per game in 2025:
23.4 points + 10.2 rebounds + 3.1 assists + (2 by 1.6 steals) + (2 by 2.3 blocks) + 0.6 triples

A’ja Wilson was even better in 2024, averaging 50.4 fantasy points per game:
26.9 points + 11.9 rebounds + 2.3 assists + (2 by 1.8 steals) + (2 by 2.6 blocks) + 0.5 triples

Resources:
ESPN WNBA Fantasy ADPs
ESPN WNBA Fantasy Rankings
HerHoopsStats (The #1 Site for Women’s Basketball Stats)
2025 WNBA Player Stats (via Basketball Reference)
WNBA Transactions & Player Movement 
WNBA Injury Statuses (via ESPN)
WNBA Schedule (via ESPN)

You can assume that any stats I mention are from HerHoopStats or Basketball Reference, and of course, I am using Excel to convert normal stats into fantasy points.

More on Player Valuation

So the default on ESPN is a nine-player roster with one IR, including six starters. Let us say that on average, everyone in your league wants to have seven “permanent” players on their roster and two streamer-level spots.

For a six-team league, that means 42 “permanent” players in your league and 12 streamer-level spots. The 42nd-best player in 2025 averaged 23.5 fantasy points and that could be a threshold to consider.

For an eight-team league using the same assumptions, you would have 56 “permanent players” and 16 streamer-level players rostered across the league. The 56th-best player averaged 20.2 fantasy points in 2025.

For a 10-team league, there would be 70 players “permanently rostered” and 20 streamer-level spots across the league. The 70th-best player in 2025 averaged 18.5 fantasy points.

Again, remember to consider adjustments for custom roster sizes.

WNBA Fantasy Draft Sleepers

ADPs and Rankings should be accurate as of Friday, May 1. 

Note that the order of this list is based on pre-draft rankings on ESPN, not based on my preference as a sleeper.

1. Kahleah Copper (G – Phoenix Mercury)

2026 ADP: 34.6 (Rank 34)
Confidence Level: 90 percent
2025 Performance: (41st) 21.6 fantasy points per game & (57th) 688.8 total fantasy points

In 2024, Copper was 15th (31.6 fantasy points per game) and 14th (1169.2 total fantasy points). In 2023, she was 21st (29.3 fantasy points per game) and 20th (1113.4 total fantasy points). Copper missed a portion of the 2025 season due to a left knee arthroscopy, playing 26.9 MPG after her return and averaging 15.6 points. In 2024, she averaged 21.1 points in 32.1 MPG and in 2023, she averaged 18.7 points in 31.2 MPG. The Mercury also had another star player last season (2025), Satou Sabally, who has now left to join the New York Liberty. The Mercury’s best player, Alyssa Thomas, is more of an all-around player. Copper should undoubtedly be the No. 1 scorer on the team this year and she should be healthy, so taking her in the mid-20s (or perhaps a little higher) seems safe.

For sleepers, remember, the later you can actually pick them, the more potential value you can gain. Proceed accordingly for your own leagues.

2. Brittney Sykes (G – Toronto Tempo)

2026 ADP: 47.1 (Rank 45)
Confidence Level: 80 percent
2025 Performance: (38th) 25.3 fantasy points per game & (31st) 986.7 total fantasy points

Sykes played in 39 games (the WNBA has a 44-game regular season) in 2025, consisting of 25 games as a lead ball-handler for the Washington Mystics and 14 games as a secondary option for the Seattle Storm. Sykes averaged 27.0 fantasy points per game (25th) in Washington and 21.7 fantasy points per game (48th) in Seattle. Sykes should be a top-2 offensive option for the Tempo alongside Marina Mabrey. The Tempo roster is solid and might be able to make a playoff push and I like the odds of Sykes beating her current ADP by at least a round or two with the potential for more.

3. Jordin Canada (G – Atlanta Dream)

2026 ADP: 54.1 (Rank 59)
Confidence Level: 75 percent
2025 Performance: (39th) 25.1 fantasy points per game & (55th) 702.8 total fantasy points

Canada is a vet and a pretty established starting point guard in the WNBA. ESPN’s rank has to be based on her prior totals and a projection of injuries, which is somewhat fair since she has missed games in the past two seasons. However, there are players ranked ahead of her who simply should not belong on most rosters, and Canada’s per-game upside warrants a look above her current ranking and ADP. The risk-reward at her ranking and ADP makes this easy, in my opinion.

4. Bridget Carleton (F – Portland Fire)

2026 ADP: 53.5 (Rank 60)
Confidence Level: 90 percent
2025 Performance: (95th) 15.7 fantasy points per game & (56th) 690.8 total fantasy points

Carleton was pretty much a 3-and-D role player in Minnesota. However, the Fire took her with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 Expansion Draft. For the Lynx last season, Carleton averaged 6.5 points (5.8 FGA per game), adding 1.4 triples, 3.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.3 blocks in 27.9 MPG. If we give her a couple of extra minutes and possibly double her shot attempts, Carleton should be getting into the 20-to-22 range of fantasy points, and that is without considering if she can add extra playmaking output, as she did average 4.0 assists a game in her final year of college for Iowa St. back in 2018-19. I think Carleton is worth a gamble in the 40s in drafts.

5. Tiffany Hayes (G – Golden State Valkyries)

2026 ADP: 55.7 (Rank 70)
Confidence Level: 60 percent
2025 Performance: (49th) 21.5 fantasy points per game & (72nd) 559.0 total fantasy points

Hayes’ issue is pretty much whether or not she can be healthy. She should be a top-2 offensive option for the Valkyries, but she played in 26 of 44 games last season and only logged 26.9 MPG. However, given her ranking and ADP, the risk-to-upside balance is quite favorable since Hayes has the upside to be a top-50 player per game.

6. Temi Fágbénlé (C – Toronto Tempo)

2026 ADP: 55.9 (Rank 80)
Confidence Level: 50 percent
2025 Performance: (82nd) 17.2 fantasy points per game & (60th) 670.8 total fantasy points

Fágbénlé did start 38 of her 39 games last season in Golden State, but only averaged 23.7 MPG and there are indications that her role will be expanded in Toronto as their starting big. She provided 7.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.6 blocks and 0.3 triples in Golden State, but if we can add a few more minutes and perhaps a couple more touches, Fágbénlé might be able to get around the top-60 range. I think she is more relevant for an eight-team league or deeper than a six-teamer. Fágbénlé is a vet, so if the Tempo push for the playoffs, they may lean on her, but perhaps “not being a prospect” could also work against that expanded role actually happening.

7. Leila Lacan (G – Connecticut Sun)

2026 ADP: 54.9 (Rank 98)
Confidence Level: 99 percent
2025 Performance: (47th) 21.9 fantasy points per game & (78th) 547.5 total fantasy points

Lacan averaged 26.6 MPG last season and started 15 of 25 games as a rookie (No. 10 pick in 2024, but joined a year later). Frankly, ESPN’s ranking of Lacan is inexplicable. They have her projected to perform worse, somehow, when she is slated to be the day-one starter this season. She should gain minutes and touches this season, but last season, she averaged 10.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.2 steals, 0.2 blocks and 0.6 triples. Her shooting is a bit of a concern for a lead guard, but the Sun are rebuilding and the 21-year-old Lacan will get a ton of reps for growth and development, plus she is already viewed as a good defender in the WNBA. Lacan should be rostered in all leagues, including six-team leagues, and could be a winning last-round pick in many leagues if other managers are not as tuned in as you. I remember her being a very good in-season pickup last season as well.

The only possible issue for Lacan is that you might not have her for the first week or two of the season. With that in mind, some of you might be able to leave her undrafted and add her later. I would still be interested in holding her in IR if possible.

Leila Lacan’s Basket Landes advancing to the LFB championship, beating Nell Angloma’s Lattes Montpellier in the semis.

Angloma, drafted No. 12 by the Sun, could join the team before the WNBA’s May 8 opener. Lacan’s championship series begins May 9, could end as late as May 17. https://t.co/ycxT8mAjEN

— Emily Adams (@eaadams6) May 2, 2026

8. Luisa Geiselsöder (C – Portland Fire)

2026 ADP: 54.3 (Rank 127)
Confidence Level: 50 percent
2025 Performance: (78th) 17.4 fantasy points per game & (87th) 487.2 total fantasy points

Geiselsöder started 24 of 28 games last season, turning 22.4 MPG for the Dallas Wings into 6.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.7 blocks and 1.1 triples. Geiselsöder was not an every-night rotation player in Dallas, but I do recall her being a strong fantasy streamer when she got opportunities. I think this is more applicable to eight-team and 10-team leagues, as Geiselsöder could give you something rankings-wise in the 65-to-80 range per game as the potential starter in Portland. It is tough to get a full handle on rotations in preseason, but she started the preseason game on Wednesday, April 29 vs. the Seattle Storm. As a big who can hit triples, that adds to her fantasy appeal since ESPN rewards 3-point shooters.

9. Carla Leite (G – Portland Fire)

2026 ADP: 54.3 (Rank 128)
Confidence Level: 65 percent
2025 Performance: (119th) 12.5 fantasy points per game & (92nd) 462.5 total fantasy points

Leite played 37 games and started six for the Golden State Valkyries last season, averaging 17.2 MPG. She is a 22-year-old talent, and frankly, I am less familiar with her as a player compared to some of the other names on this list. However, I have heard good things about her from various outlets and she has a chance to be a starting guard for the Fire. I think Leite should be drafted in an eight-team league or deeper, and while I think she might have top-50 per-game upside, in a six-team league, you can likely just watch-list her and monitor her performances as a potential early-season pickup. In a six-teamer, you probably have more surefire bets.

10. Georgia Amoore (G – Washington Mystics)

2026 ADP: 54.1 (Rank 200)
Confidence Level: 75 percent
2025 Performance: No. 6 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft but missed the season with a right ACL tear. She is ready for the 2026 season.

Amoore’s final year of college in 2024-25 for Kentucky yielded fantasy-relevant averages of 19.6 points, 2.3 rebounds. 6.9 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.4 blocks and 2.5 triples in 36.7 MPG (31 games). Obviously, that production should not directly translate into her rookie WNBA season. However, the Mystics don’t have a lot of ball-handling on the roster, nor do they have 3-point shooting outside of Sonia Citron, based on the analysis I’ve seen of the roster. Amoore can provide both and should see a lot of touches. ESPN must think she is not healthy, but we already got a report that she has been a “full go for a while.” I think Amoore could be a last-round flier in a six-team league if some of the stronger fliers are gone. However, in an eight-team league or deeper, she definitely has to be drafted.

I’ll leave this here:

Alright Georgia Amoore, I was already a fan, but you are MOVING ME

Look at how she breaks down her defender by going behind the back and then gets downhill and into the paint

By collapsing the D, she opens up the floor for Sonia Citron to hit the 3 pic.twitter.com/hUM4oHbLzD

— Point Made Joshua (@pointmadejosh) April 26, 2026

Honorable Mentions

• Dominique Malonga (C – Seattle Storm, Rank 35)
• Awa Fam Thiam (C – Seattle Storm, Rank 66)
• Flau’jae Johnson (G – Seattle Storm, Rank 67)
• Natisha Hiedeman (G – Seattle Sotrm, Rank 71)
• Natasha Mack (F – Phoenix Mercury, Rank 79)
• Nyara Sabally (F – Toronto Tempo, Rank 110)
• Chennedy Carter (G – Las Vegas Aces, Rank 198)
• Dorka Juhasz (F – Minnesota Lynx, Rank 201)
• Jordan Horston (G – Seattle Storm, Rank 213)
• Juste Jocyte (G – Golden State Valkyries, Rank 220)

For Dominique Malonga (No. 2 pick in 2025), Ezi Magbegor’s right foot injury might be the magic breakout booster, as Malonga should have started next to Magbegor anyway as a PF, but now, being the starting center should open things up more. I think her wide range of outcomes makes her ranking fine (that is the lower end of the scale), but her ceiling is definitely much higher than 35. For the No. 3 pick in the 2026 draft, Awa Fam Thiam, I think she is more likely to finish the season strong and be fantasy relevant with a slow start despite the Magbegor injury. Stefanie Dolson could start early on (which, technically, means Malonga would not be the center either), but Dolson might just be there to give the young bigs guidance and then allow Fam to step in later at PF with Malonga playing at C.

Flau’jae Johnson might start from day one and that makes her intriguing as a potential last-round pick in a six-teamer, but I am not certain of how her role looks. Natisha Hiedeman is also a player to monitor, going from a sixth woman in Minnesota to a potential starter in Seattle. Basically, the Storm rotation needs to be closely monitored.

Natasha Mack is just a solid, low-end starter. Nyara Sabally and Juste Jocyte are young players (especially Jocyte) worth monitoring. For Jocyte, I think she could be the sixth woman in Golden State and we already spoke about how Tiffany Hayes could spend time sidelined. Jocyte isn’t a player you need to draft, but you can watch-list her after your draft.

Chennedy Carter did not play in the WNBA in 2025, but the last time we saw her in 2024, she averaged 27.0 fantasy points (30th) with 891 total fantasy points (35th). Her role will not be that big for the Aces, but she might be a sixth woman, and that is interesting for deep leagues.

Jordan Horston is a 24-year-old guard coming off a left ACL tear to monitor for the young, rebuilding Storm team. I don’t think she needs to be drafted as her injury status seems murky, but she should be monitored.

Finally, Dorka Juhasz is a name to look at because the Lynx lost their frontcourt in the offseason. Juhasz has been dealing with a minor right foot injury from what I’ve seen, so I’m unsure of her status for the beginning of the season. She should be a deep-league flier and a player to watch-list in shallow leagues.

🎶 “MVP MVP MVP!” 🎶

At 26 years old, Dorka Juhasz becomes the youngest #EuroLeagueWomen MVP! pic.twitter.com/AbECbFhHAA

— EuroLeague Women (@EuroLeagueWomen) April 18, 2026

I was a bit too unsure of her role to put her on the list above, but Iliana Rupert (C, Rank 131) would be great if she starts for the Golden State Valkyries. Rupert was a good late-season pickup in 2025. I have also seen people mention Maria Conde (F, Rank 328) as a player of interest to monitor for the Toronto Tempo.

Again, you don’t need to draft all of these names, but for the lowly-ranked ones, keep them in your mind as players to look out for as the season progresses.

WNBA Fantasy Draft Busts

ADPs and Rankings should be accurate as of Friday, May 1. 

Note that the order of this list is based on pre-draft rankings on ESPN, not based on “how likely the player is to be a bust.”

Also, I would say the busts list was a little more difficult to put together than the sleepers, so everything I said at the end of the introduction applies.

1. Nneka Ogwumike (F, C – Los Angeles Sparks)

2026 ADP: 13.3 (Rank 11)
Confidence Level: 50 percent
2025 Performance: (13th) 32.1 fantasy points per game & (5th) 1412.4 total fantasy points

Ogwumike averaged 18.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.4 blocks and 1.5 triples in 30.9 MPG, playing 44 of 44 games in Seattle last season. She is a WNBA legend and continues to produce at a high level, but she is going from a team where she was arguably still the top star to a team where she is a co-star. Ultimately, I don’t feel strongly about this one, but given the number of options in Los Angeles, I feel like her ceiling could be a little lower. I would still be willing to draft her given the need for forward spots, as her fantasy floor should still be very, very high.

2. Napheesa Collier (F – Minnesota Lynx)

2026 ADP: 17.2 (Rank 19)
Confidence Level: 35 percent
2025 Performance: (2nd) 41.1 fantasy points per game & (9th) 1356.3 total fantasy points

Collier is my favorite player in the WNBA. However, we have to acknowledge her ankle injuries:

Napheesa Collier is expected to return to on-court basketball activities in early June, the Minnesota Lynx announce.

She underwent surgery on her left ankle on March 24 after having surgery on her right ankle in early January.

Further updates on her progress will be provided…

— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) April 21, 2026

Collier is an MVP-caliber player, but she is going to miss a chunk of the season and it is unclear how good the Lynx will be without her after losing some players in the offseason, albeit adding other talented pieces. From experience in NBA fantasy, drafting injured players is tricky. Setbacks happen, or sometimes they return and cannot stay fully healthy for the remainder of the season since they didn’t get to prepare properly in the offseason.

Sometimes, you see zero negative impacts from the injury, and if that is the case, you would be getting a top-3 fantasy player halfway through the WNBA season. I think this is an easier risk to take in a shallower league where depth is easier to come by and a higher percentage of teams in your league (four out of six teams, rather than eight or 10) would be in the fantasy playoffs.

I only included Phee because I think this warrants discussion. When she was still ranked top-3, it was an obvious bust, but since ESPN changed her rank to something more reasonable, it is 50-50. In a 10-team league, she would be a second-round pick which is a little difficult to deal with, as I said before. In a six-team league, she might be a third-round or fourth-round pick based on the ranking and ADP.

3. Tina Charles (C – Free Agent)

2026 ADP: 27.0 (Rank 25)
Confidence Level: 99 percent
2025 Performance: (28th) 26.5 fantasy points per game & (22nd) 1139.5 total fantasy points

ESPN might eventually adjust the ranking, but Charles is not on a roster. Even if she signs somewhere, I don’t think the veteran big will get “free range” to be a top offensive option anymore. She might slide into a bench role somewhere if she signs right before the season, meaning a No. 25 rank is insanity.

Look out for news on a possible signing, but ESPN currently has her listed under her prior team, the Connecticut Sun, which is misleading.

4. Azzi Fudd (G – Dallas Wings)

2026 ADP: 27.5 (Rank 33)
Confidence Level: 90 percent
2025 Performance: N/A – Fudd was the No. 1 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft and this will be her rookie season

In her final year of college, Fudd’s fantasy-relevant averages were 17.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.5 steals, 0.5 blocks and 3.0 triples across 28.7 MPG (39 games) for UConn. Fudd has to fit in alongside Paige Bueckers (with whom she has already played) and Arike Ogunbowale while adjusting to the WNBA. I think Fudd will have the usual rookie slow start and likely end the season well, but a top-30 ADP is too aggressive, and there are safer, plus higher-ceiling options going after her. I probably won’t end up drafting Fudd because I’d only start considering her in the mid-to-late 40s.

5. Ariel Atkins (G – Los Angeles Sparks)

2026 ADP: 41.9 (Rank 36)
Confidence Level: 65 percent
2025 Performance: (33rd) 26.0 fantasy points per game & (41st) 884.0 total fantasy points

Atkins averaged 13.1 points on 10.7 FGA per game (and 2.7 FTA) in Chicago in 2025, adding 3.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.7 blocks and 1.3 triples in 28.5 MPG. That was while she was expected to be a lead guard, but in Los Angeles, she should be the fourth option at best and the secondary ball-handler to Kelsey Plum. I don’t feel strongly about Atkins as a bust, especially seeing that people are drafting her below her ESPN rank. She is a player I view as having a high floor but low ceiling and there are players around her with higher-ceiling outcomes.

6. Jewell Loyd (G – Las Vegas Aces)

2026 ADP: 41.6 (Rank 38)
Confidence Level: 65 percent
2025 Performance: (50th) 21.5 fantasy points per game & (35th) 946.0 total fantasy points

Loyd started 25 of 44 games last season, averaging 11.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.3 blocks and 2.3 triples in 28.3 MPG. She struggled to fit in initially, but became an extraordinary sixth woman and just “played a role” in the Aces’ run to a championship. Loyd’s days as a star might be over, but perhaps we can say that the comfort of the fit should allow her to produce better across the entire season this time. Well, I would push back by mentioning Chennedy Carter, who has a real chance to be a sixth woman for the Aces as well. If Carter sticks on the roster and performs well, I worry about that keeping Loyd’s ceiling low. It is not that they cannot co-exist, but it could impact Loyd’s fantasy ceiling. She should have a solid floor, but I am not convinced about drafting her with some other high-upside options available in the same range of the draft.

7. Lauren Betts (C – Washington Mystics)

2026 ADP: 34.3 (Rank 39)
Confidence Level: 75 percent
2025 Performance: N/A – Betts was the No. 4 pick in the 2026 WNBA Draft and this will be her rookie season

The projected Mystics starter, Shakira Austin, is ranked No. 43 with an ADP of 44.4 after getting a big contract to stay with the team. Austin is injury-prone, so Betts will undoubtedly have chances to start and should be relevant for all fantasy leagues when she does. However, I don’t get her ranking and somehow an even higher ADP with more stable and high-upside options available around her draft range.

In Betts’ final year of college, her fantasy-relevant averages were 17.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.0 steals, 2.1 blocks and 0.0 triples in 27.7 MPG (37 games) for UCLA. She should be highly productive when opportunities arise, but the center position should be a timeshare when Austin is healthy.

8. Natasha Cloud (G – Free Agent)

2026 ADP: 46.8 (Rank 42)
Confidence Level: 99 percent
2025 Performance: (44th) 23.2 fantasy points per game & (34th) 951.2 total fantasy points

Even if Cloud signs a last-minute contract, I would not be enthused about drafting her in a six-team league. Eight-team or 10-team league? Sure, maybe, if she signs somewhere that I expect her to start. The fact that a free-agent vet is being given a must-draft ranking is crazy on ESPN’s part. She does still want to play, so she should be a name to monitor during the season if a contract isn’t worked out somewhere in the next week.

As of right now, you cannot draft Cloud anywhere.

9. Elizabeth Williams (C – Chicago Sky)

2026 ADP: 52.1 (Rank 47)
Confidence Level: 95 percent
2025 Performance: (67th) 18.7 fantasy points per game & (43rd) 804.1 total fantasy points

Williams started 15 of her 43 games last season, playing 21.1 MPG. Kamilla Cardoso is the starting center in Chicago and Azurá Stevens can operate as both a PF and C as well. The only way I see Williams delivering legit fantasy value is via injuries to the players ahead of her, as she should be a locked-in backup.

10. DeWanna Bonner (F – Phoenix Mercury)

2026 ADP: 49.8 (Rank 49)
Confidence Level: 85 percent
2025 Performance: (68th) 18.6 fantasy points per game & (66th) 613.8 total fantasy points

Bonner played in 33 games last season, split between nine for the Indiana Fever and 24 for the Phoenix Mercury. Bonner averaged 16.1 fantasy points per game for the Fever (90th) and 19.5 fantasy points per game (59th) for the Mercury. Bonner turns 39 years old in August and while Satou Sabally is gone, and there is more usage to go around, I am not sure if Bonner has that higher gear anymore. I would rather try out a high-ceiling sleeper in this range.

Honorable Mentions

• Satou Sabally (F – New York Liberty, Rank 21)
• Azurá Stevens (F – Chicago Sky, Rank 22)
• Olivia Miles (G – Minnesota Lynx, Rank 30)
• Brionna Jones (C – Atlanta Dream, Rank 46)
• Erica Wheeler (G – Los Angeles Sparks, Rank 52)
• Ezi Magbegor (C – Seattle Storm, Rank 55)
• Cameron Brink (F – Los Angeles Sparks, Rank 56)
• Courtney Vandersloot (G, Chicago Sky, Rank 58)

Satou Sabally is an interesting one, because she is joining a Big Three in New York, which is now a Big Four. Someone has to lose production, and from the chatter I have seen, most people expect it to be Jonquel Jones. I think Sabally is a proceed-with-caution selection, especially knowing of some past injury issues, but her upside is what it is as well, so she might be fine here.

Azurá Stevens should be a safe pick if healthy, given the Sky’s investment in her and the way Courtney Vandersloot has spoken about her. However, she is injured and the timeline is a bit imprecise, but most reports suggested she would not miss much time until the recent “few weeks away” update. I would proceed with caution. Vandersloot is a no-no for me given her age and the fact that she is still recovering from a right ACL tear suffered in 2025.

sky injury updates from jeff pagliocca:

-courtney vandersloot: “back on the court, working out at full speed”
-azura stevens: “resumed full basketball activities, hopefully a few weeks away”
-dijonai carrington: “in close communication with her doctors, expect a full recovery”

— jack maloney (@jackmaloneycbs) April 30, 2026

For Olivia Miles, I am just worried a little bit about how well she starts off as a rookie, but the Lynx seem highly impressed by her already, and they may need offensive impact immediately without superstar Napheesa Collier. Miles’ fantasy profile is also friendly since she gets points, rebounds and assists, so she might be productive from day one.

Brionna Jones has top-30 upside when healthy, but does not have a timeline to return from her knee surgery. That is worrying, but she could be back in two weeks — making her ADP and ranking a draft win — or be out for most of the season — making her a loss. Prior reports suggested she would be ready for the start of the season, but that is not the case now. Naz Hillmon is the beneficiary there, but she was appropriately ranked, hence she is not in the sleepers section.

Erica Wheeler is a high-floor, low-ceiling vet and I think you can do better in her range with higher-ceiling fliers.

From the recent reports I have seen, it seems like Cameron Brink will come off the bench, so that makes her an iffy choice in this range for me, with high-upside fliers who should start likely still being available.

Ezi Magbegor is a high-floor player when healthy, but:

Ezi Magbegor will miss at least the next 6-8 weeks due to a right foot injury she sustained while playing for Australia in the 2026 FIBA Basketball World Cup Qualifiers, the Seattle Storm announced.

A huge absence for the new-look Storm as they enter the 2026 campaign.

— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) April 20, 2026

I am hesitant because this is a re-evaluation timeline, meaning she could be out longer and the Storm are a rebuilding team, so they have no reason to rush or risk her, especially with two other young bigs on their roster. The ranking makes it hard to view her as a bust, however. She would basically be a last-round IR stash for most managers.