Ways to improve your chances of winning the championship
We’re down to the final two weeks of the WNBA regular season and that means the fantasy women’s basketball championship is here. In most leagues, this is the first of a two-week matchup that ultimately crowns a winner.
By now, we know how key it is to stream players into your lineup for success, but what other tips can set you apart at this stage in the game?
Our experts André Snellings, Eric Moody and Liz Loza give their best advice for fantasy managers who have made it this far.
Pay close attention to the schedule
Check out your team’s schedule for every day of the scoring period in advance, so you’ll know early what days your team has full days versus days when you might have a lighter lineup than your opponent. If you notice day(s) like that in advance, it gives you time to check out which WNBA teams will have games on those days so you can be proactive and potentially add players.
This is a step beyond typical streaming, which might mean picking up a player on the day you plan to start them and potentially cutting them immediately after the game. Analyzing the schedule and preparing for your light days is playing chess instead of checkers, and could help you secure the bag (or, in this case, the championship). — Snellings
Know what’s still on the line
Keep track of which teams have clinched, been eliminated from, or are still fighting to make the WNBA postseason. The reality of a team’s postseason situation could dictate players’ usage. For example, the Sun — a team that has secured the No. 3 seed with little hope of moving up or sliding down — might not take the court with the same ferocity over the last five games of the regular season. Alyssa Thomas, who has put together an MVP worthy season and carried this squad into the postseason, should remain in fantasy lineups, but managers should temper expectations as HC Stephanie White considers load management for the team’s biggest star. — Loza
Keep an eye out for DNPs and injury news
There’s nothing worse than inserting a player into your lineup only to find out she’s a late scratch. Keep a list of players you can add immediately if someone on your roster is ruled out. If you want to win a championship, you’ll need to know which players you can turn to if somebody goes down. — Moody
