Change is the one thing you can always count on, both in sports and in life. While consistency is what fantasy managers strive for, the reality is that player performance can swing wildly over a long season.
Trying to keep up with all the highs and lows across 44 games and four months can feel overwhelming. That's why breaking things down week by week makes it easier to stay grounded and focused on what matters right now.
That's the goal of my Risers and Fallers column. It helps you track momentum shifts as they happen, using insights pulled directly from ESPN's fantasy metrics.
Risers
Paige Bueckers, G, Dallas Wings (99.3% rostered, 0.1)
After missing the past four games due to concussion protocol and another due to illness, Bueckers made a strong return on Wednesday night against the Phoenix Mercury, scoring a season-high 54 fantasy points. She also became just the third rookie in Dallas Wings history to post a 35-point game, joining Arike Ogunbowale (2019) and Odyssey Sims (2014).
This performance was especially encouraging for fantasy managers, many of whom drafted Bueckers as early as the third round.
Meanwhile, Ogunbowale's struggles have continued. She's averaging a career-low 15.7 points per game, shooting just 34% from the field and 30% from three-point range for the 1-10 Wings. She appears uncomfortable in new head coach Chris Koclanes' system, and her on-court pairing with Bueckers hasn't clicked.
The Wings front court is depleted right now with Teaira McCowan and Luisa Geiselsoder set to play in Eurobasket for the next few weeks so expect Bueckers to continue to handle the scoring load in Dallas right now.
Lexi Held, G, Phoenix Mercury (21.8% rostered, 16.4%)
The Mercury have been shorthanded in their backcourt with Kahleah Copper still recovering from left knee surgery. While Sami Whitcomb has helped fill the void -- with 17.0 fantasy points per game in 26.5 minutes per game -- it's been Held who has offered more fantasy production off the bench. She has played 27 or more minutes and scored 26 or more fantasy points in three of her past four games. Held has yet to start a game this season, but she's making enough of an impact to warrant a bigger role in the rotation.
Kennedy Burke, F, New York Liberty (16.4% rostered, +5.1)
Burke is a legitimate candidate for Sixth Player of the Year. She has scored 23 or more fantasy points in three of her past five games, and the work she put in during the offseason is clearly paying off. Burke has also been remarkably efficient, shooting an impressive 57.7% from the field -- a significant improvement from her 40.9% mark in 2024. She is a strong pickup at the F/C position and someone to watch out for as a potential streamer.
Fallers
Jewell Loyd, G, Las Vegas Aces (99.7% rostered, -0.1%)
One of the most hyped moves of the 2025 offseason is quickly turning into a fantasy letdown.
Loyd was expected to fill Kelsey Plum's role on the Aces coming into the season but has struggled to find her rhythm in a new system. Through the first stretch of games, she has averaged only 9.1 PPG -- a massive drop from the 24.7 PPG and 19.7 PPG she averaged over past two seasons with the Seattle Storm.
Loyd has played limited fourth-quarter minutes recently, and head coach Becky Hammon admitted the idea of bringing her off the bench has been discussed at Loyd's own suggestion. The Aces are off to an uncharacteristically rocky start, and with the offense out of sync, Loyd's chemistry and fantasy production just aren't clicking given where she was being drafted.
At 31 years old and in a contract year, the stakes are high for Loyd. She's not a drop candidate, but it might be time to reset expectations -- at least for now.
Jessica Shepard, F, Minnesota Lynx (23.5% rostered, -15)
Shepard has stepped away from the Lynx to represent Slovenia in EuroBasket and will miss the next few weeks of action. She has averaged 21.2 minutes per game as a reserve for a 9-1 Lynx team currently ranked at the top of ESPN's power rankings. While Bridget Carleton should continue to play heavy minutes, Shepard's absence could open the door for Alissa Pili to see a larger role in the rotation.
Tiffany Hayes, G, Golden State Valkyries (43.3%, -5.4%)
While injuries have limited Hayes to only three games so far, the Valkyries have emerged as one of the hottest teams in the league -- thanks in part to rookie Janelle Salaun, who has averaged 22.3 fantasy points per game.
But Salaun, along with Julie Vanloo and Cecilia Zandalasini, will miss the next few weeks while competing in EuroBasket. With those absences and Hayes still sidelined, Kate Martin remains an excellent fantasy add if you're looking to gain exposure to the surging Valkyries.