Which stars are rising, falling on the Aces and Liberty?
The Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty are the two heavy favorites to win the WNBA championship this season, but with so much talent on each team, we’ve already seen shifts in roles, playing time and production.
What has caught the eye of our fantasy experts so far?
Here are André Snellings, Eric Moody and Liz Loza with more on that.
Stewart is dominating
Breanna Stewart has been a superstar, and if anything, her 50.5 FP/G average might actually understate it. Stewart had a pedestrian (for her) 12-point, 12-rebound double-double in the season opener, but since then she’s been otherworldly. In her past three games, she has averaged 30.3 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 3.0 SPG, 3.0 APG and 2.3 BPG.
Stewart’s explosive production seems to be coming at the cost of her former MVP teammate Jonquel Jones, who is averaging only 8.8 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 1.3 BPG in 17.8 MPG. Jones is barely getting more minutes than backup center Stefanie Dolson (16.5 MPG), and the blowout nature of several of the games has eaten a bit into her minutes as well. It’s working out fine for the Liberty, who have won three straight games by an average of 12.7 PPG, but Jones seems to be the member of the superteam whose production has been most impacted thus far. — Moody
More on Jones’ lack of minutes
Jonquel Jones‘ playing time and fantasy production is way down since joining the Liberty and playing alongside Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu. In the first three games of the season, Jones has averaged only 17.6 minutes and 16.3 fantasy points. Considering her average draft position, this isn’t ideal, but it’s not surprising.
The Liberty possess an abundance of talent, and their top players have historically commanded high usage rates. So, it’s no surprise that Jones’ numbers have been impacted. Even if it means adjusting our expectations for individual performances, it’s a testament to the Liberty roster’s depth and star power. Keep an eye on how Jones adapts and continues to contribute to this talented team. — Moody
Plum is off to a slow start
The Aces are rolling, but Kelsey Plum has yet to get going. Plum has struggled from the field, recording a field goal percentage below 36% during her past three outings. She’s also posted only nine rebounds over four contests, with five of those boards occurring in the season opener. Thankfully, volume hasn’t been an issue for the 28-year-old, who has managed at least 16 shots in three of four and exactly five assists in each game. A second-round draft pick for most fantasy drafters, Plum’s 27 fantasy points per game is just outside of the top 25. Her situation is one to monitor. — Loza
Stoked about Stokes
Kiah Stokes‘ involvement in the rotation stands out with the Aces. As Candace Parker‘s backup, Stokes has been consistently productive. In the past four games, she has averaged 20.4 minutes and 15.5 fantasy points. While she might not score a ton of points, Stokes actively contributes in rebounds, steals and blocks. Surprisingly, she is only rostered in 10.3% of ESPN leagues. For fantasy managers in deeper formats, Stokes is a solid option worth considering. — Moody
