WNBA DFS Strategies for Successful Lineups on May 17
After Friday's Opening Night matchups, the WNBA returns with another three-game slate Saturday, including a rematch of the 2023 WNBA Finals and a showdown featuring Caitlin Clark and the Fever facing off against Angel Reese and the Sky.
WNBA Schedule Today
- Las Vegas Aces at New York Liberty
- Chicago Sky at Indiana Fever
- Seattle Storm at Phoenix Mercury
RotoWire WNBA DFS Tools
Daily Matchups (Vegas Odds, Team Efficiency, Pace, Opposing Stats)
Las Vegas Aces 
at New York Liberty 
Line: Liberty -3.5
O/U: 169.5
Injury Updates and Impact on WNBA DFS Lineups - Aces vs. Liberty
Note: All return dates are just estimates
New York
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leonie Fiebich | F | Undisclosed | GTD (Questionable) | 5/17/2025 |
| Raquel Carrera | C | Personal | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
| Ivana Dojkic | G | Not Injury Related | OUT | 5/1/2026 |
| Seehia Ridard | F | Personal | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
| Annika Soltau | F | Not Injury Related | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
| Betnijah Laney-Hamilton | G | Knee | OUT | 5/1/2026 |
Las Vegas
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Bradford | G | Suspension | SUSP | 5/20/2025 |
| Megan Gustafson | C | Lower Leg | OUT | 7/3/2025 |
| Cheyenne Parker-Tyus | F | Not Injury Related | OUT | 8/15/2025 |
Team Previews and DFS Implications for Saturday, May 17
The Aces were unable to put a three-peat together last season, and they underwent fairly significant roster turnover during the offseason, trading Kelsey Plum in exchange for Jewell Loyd as part of a three-team deal while also losing Alysha Clark. Cheyenne Parker-Tyus will also miss most of the season due to her pregnancy, leaving the Aces somewhat depleted in the frontcourt. However, last year's unanimous MVP, A'ja Wilson, has proven that she's capable of carrying a team while also elevating those around her. In addition to Loyd in the backcourt, Chelsea Gray will attempt to bounce back in 2025 following an injury-plagued season last year, while Jackie Young should remain productive, especially without Plum in the fold.
A year after assembling a superteam, the Liberty finally won their first title in franchise history last year, but they required overtime to beat the Lynx in Game 5. They also have a new-look roster this year, as Courtney Vandersloot left the team during the offseason, while Betnijah Laney-Hamilton will miss the season due to a knee injury. The team acquired Natasha Cloud to help fill the void, and New York still has a formidable Big Three of Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu and Jonquel Jones. Leonie Fiebich also stepped up for New York last year, especially during the playoffs, but she's a game-time decision for Saturday's regular-season opener after fulfilling overseas obligations. If she's sidelined, Marine Johannes, Isabelle Harrison and Nyara Sabally are candidates to fill the void, and they could provide some DFS value, even as part of a star-studded lineup.
Chicago Sky 
at Indiana Fever 
Line: Fever -8.5
O/U: 169
Injury Updates and Impact on WNBA DFS Lineups - Sky vs. Fever
Note: All return dates are just estimates
Chicago
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hailey Van Lith | G | Ankle | GTD (Questionable) | 5/17/2025 |
| Moriah Jefferson | G | Leg | OUT | 5/22/2025 |
| Ajsa Sivka | F | Not Injury Related | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
Indiana
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sophie Cunningham | F | Ankle | OUT | 5/20/2025 |
| Kristy Wallace | G | Not Injury Related | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
Team Previews and DFS Implications for Saturday, May 17
After a long offseason, it's fitting that WNBA fans will get to see two of the league's most promising young stars in Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese face off on the second night of the regular season. Both rookies had historic rookie seasons and appear poised to take a step in Year 2.
Angel Reese burst onto the scene after being selected by the Sky with the No. 7 overall pick in the draft, averaging 13.6 points and 13.1 rebounds in 32.5 minutes per game over 34 regular-season appearances. She missed the end of last season due to a wrist injury but participated in the Unrivaled 3x3 women's basketball league this winter and is fully healthy heading into her second professional season. Kamilla Cardoso and Elizabeth Williams will also be healthy to complement her in the frontcourt, and the Sky revamped their backcourt during the offseason, acquiring Ariel Atkins and Kia Nurse while also bringing Courtney Vandersloot back to the team. Reese, Cardoso and Atkins should be Chicago's top contributors as the team appears poised to be more competitive this year, but Nurse drew praise from head coach Tyler Marsh in training camp, while Vandersloot is a candidate to bounce back after seeing a reduced role in New York last year.
Caitlin Clark remains the focal point for the Fever in 2025 after she averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds in 35.4 minutes per game last year en route to Rookie of the Year honors. She'll attempt to work on ball control this year after averaging 5.6 turnovers per game in 2024, but she'll have a much better supporting cast around her, which could help cut down on that mark. Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston remained with the team during the offseason and should continue to have sizable roles in 2025, while the team acquired veterans Natasha Howard and DeWanna Bonner, who should help to turn the Fever into championship contenders, especially with new head coach Stephanie White at the helm. The Fever will be playing without newcomer Sophie Cunningham in their regular-season opener, which could open up more opportunities for Mitchell and Lexie Hull.
Seattle Storm 
at Phoenix Mercury 
Line: Storm -5
O/U: 154.5
Injury Updates and Impact on WNBA DFS Lineups - Storm vs. Mercury
Note: All return dates are just estimates
Seattle
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katie Lou Samuelson | F | Knee | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
| Jordan Horston | G | Knee | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
| Nika Muhl | G | Knee | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
Phoenix
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kahleah Copper | G | Back | OUT | 5/21/2025 |
| Kitija Laksa | G | Not Injury Related | OUT | 5/21/2025 |
| Natasha Mack | F | Undisclosed | OUT | 5/21/2025 |
| Murjanatu Musa | C | Not Injury Related | OUT | 5/23/2025 |
| Helena Pueyo | G | Personal | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
| Julia Ayrault | G | Personal | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
Team Previews and DFS Implications for Saturday, May 17
The Storm revamped their roster ahead of the 2024 campaign by adding Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins but experienced some growing pains and were unable to enter the ranks of legitimate championship contenders. Jewell Loyd requested a trade during the offseason, and the team acquired the No. 2 pick in this year's draft, which was used to draft frontcourt phenom Dominique Malonga. Even if Malonga doesn't have a significant role as a rookie, she'll have plenty of opportunities to develop alongside two of the league's top bigs in Ogwumike and Ezi Magbegor. Seattle also brought back Gabby Williams and acquired Alysha Clark, so there should be no shortage of frontcourt talent. In the backcourt, Diggins, Erica Wheeler and Lexie Brown will attempt to pick up the slack left by Loyd. Brown seems unlikely to start to begin the year, but she's proven to be productive in the past and said this spring that she feels healthy after missing most of the last two seasons due to Crohn's disease.
The Mercury will have a new look in 2025 since they'll be playing without Diana Taurasi for the first time in two decades, and they also moved on from Brittney Griner during the offseason. They acquired Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas, and both players will need to step up in their team debuts Saturday since Kahleah Copper and Natasha Mack will both be sidelined. Sami Whitcomb, Kalani Brown, Sevgi Uzun and Kathryn Westbeld are also candidates to have larger roles than expected Saturday under head coach Nate Tibbetts, who spent training camp preaching positionless basketball. While Thomas and Sabally should lead the way for Phoenix on Saturday, Tibbetts' philosophy will already be put to the test in the regular-season opener.
Top WNBA DFS Picks and Value Players for Saturday's Slate
FanDuel
- A'ja Wilson ($9,200)
- Satou Sabally ($7,400)
- Alyssa Thomas ($7,300)
The Aces seem to be overlooked heading into 2025 since the Liberty, Lynx and Fever are all flashy championship picks, and Wilson has proven what she can do when underestimated. She had a revenge tour in 2024 after missing out on the MVP award in 2023, and I could see her wanting to make a statement in Saturday's regular-season opener on the road against the defending champions. The rest of my plays are from the Mercury, showing just how much value I think there should be for the shorthanded team. I wouldn't recommend stacking all four players, but I think that Thomas at least provides plenty of value at her salary, while Sabally will likely also try to hit the ground running after missing most of last season due to injury.
Unlocking Value with WNBA DFS Sleeper Picks for May 17
- Sami Whitcomb ($4,200)
- Kalani Brown ($3,900)
DraftKings
- A'ja Wilson ($10,800)
- Angel Reese ($9,600)
- Kamilla Cardoso ($7,300)
I'm rolling with Wilson again on DraftKings. She had the highest salary on FanDuel but comes in second on DraftKings behind Caitlin Clark's $11,000. Clark certainly has value as well, but among the top two options, I prefer Wilson. Clark will remain productive in 2025 but carries some risk with her lofty salary given the revamped roster around her. However, the Fever/Sky matchup has brought out the top-level production among their players over the past year, and I expect that Reese and Cardoso will be able to step up as they begin their second professional seasons, even while facing off against a strong frontcourt tandem of Aliyah Boston, Natasha Howard and DeWanna Bonner.
Unlocking Value with WNBA DFS Sleeper Picks for May 17
- Lexie Hull ($4,000)
- Kalani Brown ($3,900)
