WNBA DFS Tips & Top Picks for Opening Night 2025

WNBA DFS Strategies for Opening Night Success

The 2025 WNBA season is finally here, and the regular season begins with three games on Friday's slate, including No. 1 pick Paige Bueckers and the Wings taking on last year's runners-up, the Lynx, as well as the league's newest franchise, the Valkyries, opening the season at home against the Sparks.

Although it's Opening Night, there are already several key absences around the league that should create DFS value to begin the season. We'll take a look at some of the key situations to monitor and analyze players who could step up.

WNBA Schedule Today

• Atlanta Dream at Washington Mystics
• Minnesota Lynx at Dallas Wings
• Los Angeles Sparks at Golden State Valkyries

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Atlanta Dream at Washington Mystics

Line: Dream -7.5
O/U: 157

Injury Updates and Impact on WNBA DFS Lineups - Dream vs. Mystics

Note: All return dates are just estimates

Atlanta

Washington

Team Previews and DFS Implications for WNBA Opening Night

The Dream suffered a significant blow in their preseason opener when Jordin Canada went down with a non-contact knee injury in the first minute of the game. She's only been officially ruled out for the first three games of the regular season, but it seems possible that she'll be forced to miss additional time. Despite Canada's absence, Atlanta has no shortage of star power this year, including incumbents Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard as well as newcomers Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones. All four players have proven to be capable of taking games into their own hands, although it remains to be seen how the workload will be distributed between Griner and Jones, who are two of the premier centers in the WNBA. Atlanta's top four options all command lofty DFS salaries on Opening Night, but Shatori Walker-Kimbrough is a player with a mid-tier salary who could step up in Canada's absence.

The Mystics had three of the top six picks in this year's draft, but No. 6 pick Georgia Amoore has already been diagnosed with an ACL injury that will force her to miss the 2025 campaign, while Shakira Austin and Aaliyah Edwards will also be unavailable on Opening Night. Veteran Brittney Sykes averaged just 23.4 minutes per game over 18 regular-season appearances last year while dealing with injuries of her own, but she should have a significant role in the backcourt alongside rookie Sonia Citron, while Stefanie Dolson should see plenty of run in the frontcourt alongside Emily Engstler and rookie Kiki Iriafen. Several players could provide DFS value for the shorthanded Mystics, especially Dolson and Engstler, who both have lower salaries despite the potential that they take on starting roles to begin the season.

Minnesota Lynx at Dallas Wings

Line: Lynx -5.5
O/U: 163.5

Injury Updates and Impact on WNBA DFS Lineups - Lynx vs. Wings

Note: All return dates are just estimates

Minnesota

Dallas

Team Previews and DFS Implications for WNBA Opening Night

The Lynx retooled their roster ahead of the 2024 campaign by acquiring Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith. The team won the Commissioner's Cup last year and nearly took down the Liberty in the WNBA Finals, as the Lynx took Game 5 to overtime before losing, 67-62. Minnesota is considered an early favorite to win this year's title, but the team will be shorthanded on Opening Night, as Kayla McBride will be sidelined due to personal reasons, while Alanna Smith is deemed doubtful due to a quadriceps injury. The Lynx will also be without Dorka Juhasz for the entire season due to rest purposes. Despite the absences, the Lynx boast one of the league's best players in Napheesa Collier, while Williams and Natisha Hiedeman should also be able to step up in the backcourt. Additionally, Jessica Shepard is back with the team after sitting out last season, and she should see a sizable frontcourt role alongside Bridget Carleton and newcomer Karlie Samuelson.

The Wings had plenty of talent last year but were never able to get things going, and they finished the season with a 9-31 record, the second-worst mark in the league. The team lost several of its key contributors from the 2024 campaign during the offseason but was awarded the No. 1 pick in the WNBA Draft and selected UConn guard Paige Bueckers. Bueckers averaged 19.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists in college and should make an immediate impact at the professional level, even while playing alongside one of the league's top shooting threats in Arike Ogunbowale, who averaged 22.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists last season. Although Satou Sabally and Natasha Howard are playing elsewhere in 2025, Teaira McCowan is returning and should pose a formidable threat in the frontcourt.

Los Angeles Sparks at Golden State Valkyries

Line: Sparks -8
O/U: 162

Injury Updates and Impact on WNBA DFS Lineups - Sparks vs. Valkyries

Note: All return dates are just estimates

Los Angeles

Golden State

Team Previews and DFS Implications for WNBA Opening Night

The Sparks finished last season with the league's worst record but had to settle for the No. 2 pick in the draft lottery. Rather than using the pick, they traded it to Seattle as part of a three-team deal that sent Kelsey Plum to Los Angeles. Plum established herself as one of the league's top scorers and passers during her time in Las Vegas, and she averaged 18.9 points, 4.6 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 33.1 minutes per game over her final three seasons with the Aces. The Sparks had an influx of young talent last year in Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson, and Plum should provide a veteran presence alongside incumbent Dearica Hamby that should help the team be more competitive this year. The Sparks will be without Brink for at least the first few weeks of the regular season while she finishes her rehab process stemming from a torn ACL last year, but Los Angeles still has plenty of star power ready to take the court to begin the season.

The Valkyries are the WNBA's newest franchise and enter the season with the lowest projected win total, as their over/under for the season sits at 9.5 wins, even with an expanded 44-game season. The team devoted substantial attention to international prospects during the expansion draft and rookie draft, and several of those players, including No. 5 pick Juste Jocyte, won't join the organization in 2025. However, Tiffany Hayes is a proven veteran guard, while Julie Vanloo and Kate Martin have less WNBA experience but should be capable of stepping up this season. Kayla Thornton and Monique Billings are seasoned forwards, and center Temi Fagbenle showed plenty of promise in Indiana last year despite battling some injury woes. The Valkyries could still make some acquisitions to revamp their roster as the season progresses, but those five players should at least be capable of providing some fantasy production early on.

Top WNBA DFS Picks: Key Players to Watch

FanDuel

• Napheesa Collier ($8,300)
• Dearica Hamby ($7,300)
• Teaira McCowan ($5,600)

Collier was named the inaugural MVP of the Unrivaled 3x3 women's basketball league this winter and is considered a favorite to win her first WNBA MVP award this year. Since Alanna Smith is unlikely to play, Collier has a prime opportunity to make a strong first impression with MVP voters in 2025. Hamby had a breakout season last year, and even though the Sparks added another scoring threat in Kelsey Plum during the offseason, Hamby should have chances to maintain her dominance early in the year while Cameron Brink is sidelined. McCowan's salary is curiously below NaLyssa Smith's salary of $5,800, even though I expect that McCowan will be more productive. While most eyes will likely be on the guard tandem of Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale on Opening Night, McCowan posted double-doubles in each of the Wings' home games against the Lynx last year, and she should have ample looks once again Friday.

Unlocking Value: WNBA DFS Sleeper Picks

• Julie Vanloo ($4,400)
• Shatori Walker-Kimbrough ($4,000)

DraftKings

• Napheesa Collier ($11,800)
• Courtney Williams ($9,400)
• Rickea Jackson ($8,800)

I usually try to avoid doubling up on the top options between FanDuel and DraftKings, but I'm not thrilled with the top-tier salary options on DraftKings, and Collier should be dominant Friday despite having the top salary. Williams is my second-favorite pick since Kayla McBride will be unavailable, and the combination of Collier and Williams is an intriguing option for those looking to create a Lynx stack on Opening Night. Jackson was a strong contributor for most of her rookie season. She was one of the team's top scoring options late in the year, and while that's unlikely to be the case in 2025 now that Kelsey Plum is with the team, Jackson should still have ample opportunities to contribute, especially while Cameron Brink is sidelined.

Unlocking Value: WNBA DFS Sleeper Picks

• Temi Fagbenle ($5,600)
• Emily Engstler ($4,900)