WNBA waiver wire: Emma Cannon among names to know

The WNBA season hits the unofficial halfway point this week, as the league enters its All-Star break.

As we move further into the second half of the season, the name of the game remains the same: opportunity yields increased value.

Last week, in one of my leagues, I had three different starters injured going into Sunday’s games. I was able to pick up two of the players on the list below, and salvaged a tie out of what would have otherwise been a loss.

I’ve found that streaming is necessary to win in these fantasy hoops leagues, so let’s look at the best free agent pickup options for this week.

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Tianna Hawkins, Washington Mystics (rostered in 47.1% of ESPN leagues): Hawkins is about to cycle out of this article by dint of getting rostered in more than half of ESPN leagues, but this week she still sneaks under the (waiver) wire… heh. Hawkins has started the last nine games for the Mystics due to injuries to Elena Delle Donne and Shakira Austin. In those starts, she has averaged 12.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.8 3PG and 0.3 BPG in 30.7 MPG.

Dorka Juhasz, Minnesota Lynx (28.9%): Juhasz has had a productive rookie season, but in the last week she has really stepped up her production on defense and on the glass. In the three games since the All-Star Break, Juhasz has averaged 10.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.0 3PG and 0.7 BPG in 28.3 MPG.

Nia Coffey, Atlanta Dream (34.3%): Coffey is another starter that has stepped up her game of late. She has averaged 9.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.1 3PG, 1.0 APG, 0.9 BPG and 0.7 SPG in 24.6 MPG in her last 10 games, and she has notched her only two double-doubles of the season in the three games since the All-Star break.

Lexie Brown, Los Angeles Sparks (6.6%): Brown started the season playing very well, averaging 14.4 PPG, 2.8 APG, 2.5 3PG and 1.3 SPG in her first eight games of the season, all starts. She was struck by a non-COVID illness that kept her out of action for a month before returning after the All-Star break. She has played well in both games back, one of which was off the bench, averaging 13.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.0 3PG and 1.5 APG in 26.5 MPG. It is unclear whether Brown will continue starting or cede the position back to Karlie Samuelson (knee), but either way it appears that Brown will be productive.

Emma Cannon, Indiana Fever (4.9%): While Victoria Vivians has started the last three games in place of NaLyssa Smith (foot stress fracture), Cannon has also gotten a larger role off the bench during this stretch and has taken advantage of it. In those three games, Cannon has averaged 13.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.3 3PG and 1.0 APG in 20.3 MPG.