Roundtable: Three players to avoid
The WNBA season tips off on May 14 and that means fantasy women’s basketball is near! Knowing which players to draft this year is one thing, but knowing who to pass on is just as important.
Which players are our experts avoiding in fantasy drafts this season? Who do they feel won’t live up to their average draft position?
Here are Andre Snellings, Eric Moody and Liz Loza with more.
NaLyssa Smith, F, Indiana Fever (30.3 ADP): Smith, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 draft, had a solid 2023 season, averaging 15.5 PPG and 9.2 RPG. However, my biggest concerns arise from the fact that she’s playing alongside Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark, who are the two most recent No. 1 draft picks. Both will command sizeable usage rates. Also, it doesn’t help that Smith doesn’t accumulate many defensive stats. — Moody
Ezi Magbegor, C, Seattle Storm (16.5 ADP): Magbegor put together a career effort in 2023, averaging over 13 points and eight rebounds per game. As such, she was the 12th-most productive fantasy player in ESPN’s game (1,242 total FPTS). With Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith joining the Storm, however, Magbegor’s minutes figure to dwindle, making the 24-year-old forward a dicey fantasy option. — Loza
Elizabeth Williams, C, Chicago Sky (35.7 ADP): I’m unlikely to draft Williams this season. She stepped up last year with Isabelle Harrison missing the entire season, but not only is Harrison back, but the Sky also drafted the past two NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Players at her position in Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese. Williams is on the second year of a two-year deal and should continue to have a role, but the Sky’s newfound depth in the frontcourt could limit her production this season. — Snellings
