An unbalanced schedule defines the week ahead in the WNBA. With no action on either Monday or Wednesday, a busy Thursday leads into a steady weekend of competition. Leveraging the waiver wire and free agency as tools to gain an edge in your league(s) begins with crafting a streaming strategy ahead of this wonky week.
The selection of streaming candidates below factors in recent rotation, production and usage trends, as well as looming matchup metrics.
For fantasy managers seeking to log as many games and minutes as possible this week, finding a path to the Minnesota Lynx facing the New York Liberty on Tuesday is key; bank some numbers in that game and then identify what your team needs the rest of the way into the weekend.
Bridget Carleton, F, Lynx (rostered in 26.0% of ESPN leagues): With her team active a league-best three times this week, it's even more noteworthy that Carleton has averaged nearly 32 minutes during the past week. A recent offensive lull interrupted a streak of four straight double-digit scoring performances. While Tuesday's tilt against a respectable Liberty defense isn't ideal for fantasy, the final two showdowns of the week feature a Dallas Wings team sitting 11th in defensive rating and a depleted Los Angeles Sparks frontcourt. A blend of games played, importance in her respective rotation and inviting matchups merge to create real reason to roster Carleton for this coming stretch.
Jordan Horston, G, Seattle Storm (15.8% rostered): A recent scoring surge earned Horston a rare start over the weekend. While she wasn't prolific in the box score, Horston held her own with the team's top group and figures to start going forward. Interest in Horston should sustain into this new week thanks to the softest schedule in the league with meetings against the two weakest defenses over the coming days. A blend of scoring, rebounding and defensive production supports Horston as one of the week's stronger backcourt streamers.
Karlie Samuelson, F, Washington Mystics (47.7%): A pitch for those in shallower leagues focuses on a meeting later in the week with the Las Vegas Aces, a club in the bottom third in the league in defensive efficiency. With at least 11 points in four straight games, there's momentum brewing for this forward. Even if this scoring binge isn't sustainable, Washington often deploys Samuelson for over 30 minutes of run, supporting a stable floor for points, assists and rebounds.
Sevgi Uzun, G, Dallas Wings (13.2%): With at least five dimes in four straight games, Uzun is an unsung source for productive passing results. This deep into the campaign, it has become rare to find playmaking production from the wire, which makes Uzun's recent upswing worthy of more attention. The Wings play Thursday and Saturday this week, making it reasonable to pivot to a strong Sunday streamer (i.e. Carlton) and maximize games played with one roster spot. For those in need of some spot scoring help, Uzun's teammate Jacy Sheldon (10.2%) has been a bucket lately.