WNBA: Hamby, Billings amongst early-season fantasy basketball standouts

It’s nonetheless early within the 2024 WNBA season, however a lot of the league’s prime fantasy gamers have already established themselves. It’s fairly easy to establish the standard suspects—they’re most likely who you used your first three or 4 draft picks on while you have been selecting your fantasy crew—but it surely’s usually simple to see who’s going to surpass their respective common draft place (ADP) early on as nicely. The WNBA season is comparatively quick and secrets and techniques can’t be saved for very lengthy, so be sure these gamers aren’t on the waiver wire in your fantasy leagues.

Dearica Hamby (Los Angeles Sparks)

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Present place rank: No. 4 (34.8 ADP)

It’s nonetheless far too early to declare anybody participant a “league-winner,” however should you drafted Hamby wherever close to or after her ADP, you’re most likely a cheerful camper. The veteran ahead is taking full benefit of a risky scenario in Los Angeles and has been one of many few gamers who Sparks head coach Curt Miller can rely on. In a large 37.2 minutes performed per recreation, Hamby is averaging a career-high 20.6 factors, 12.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.6 steals per recreation, and in customary fantasy leagues, her 41 fantasy factors per recreation rank her No. 3 amongst forwards. The rebuilding Sparks will need to get 2024 lottery picks Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson extra reps because the season goes on, and Azurá Stevens is projected to return from an elbow harm in late June, so Hamby received’t be placing up these sorts of numbers for the entire summer season, but it surely’s good to see her enjoying at her greatest after an up-and-down first season in Los Angeles.

Monique Billings (Dallas Wings)

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Present place rank: No. 18 (52.6 ADP)

The Wings have been dealt a nasty hand with accidents on the ahead place, with Satou Sabally (shoulder) not anticipated again till after the Olympics and Natasha Howard (foot) out for at the very least yet one more week. Dallas signed Billings to an emergency hardship contract to fill the void, and he or she’s performed a few of the greatest basketball of her profession, averaging 13 factors, 7.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in half-hour performed per recreation. The rebounding isn’t a shock because it’s at all times been Billings’ specialty, however her scoring appears to have come out of nowhere, and with the Wings’ lack of depth, she’s going to maintain enjoying large minutes. Sadly for Billings, when Howard returns the Wings might want to let her go, however till then she must be rostered in all fantasy codecs.

Natasha Mack (Phoenix Mercury)

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Present place rank: No. 13 (53.8 ADP)

Brittney Griner suffered a toe harm throughout preseason and is with out a clear timeline to return, which, evidently, has put the Mercury in a tricky spot to start the season. Phoenix didn’t have a lot depth in its frontcourt behind Griner within the first place, however Mack has carried out an admirable job filling in to date, averaging 7.4 rebounds and a pair of.1 blocks per recreation. Mercury head coach Nate Tibbetts likes his small-ball lineups, so it doesn’t appear doubtless that Mack will ever play far more than her present common of twenty-two.1 minutes per recreation, and he or she’s not going to be a focus of Phoenix’s offense, both. Contemplating she was most likely a waiver-wire pickup in most leagues, although, it’s laborious to be something however proud of what she’s supplied to date.

Temi Fagbenle (Indiana Fever)

Present place rank: No. 6 (53.7 ADP)

Fagbenle is again within the WNBA for the primary time since 2019, and for the primary time in her profession she’s getting minutes that make her worthy of rostering in fantasy basketball. Fagbenle is at the moment posting averages of 9.1 factors, 5.6 rebounds and 1.9 defensive stats per recreation, and he or she’s taking pictures 56.1 p.c from the sphere. She had additionally leapfrogged NaLyssa Smith within the Fever’s rotation, although she sadly injured her foot shortly thereafter and shall be out for 2 to 3 weeks. Fagbenle is simply rostered in 27.9 p.c of ESPN leagues, so don’t neglect about her when she returns to Indiana’s lineup.

Tyasha Harris (Connecticut Solar)

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Present place rank: No. 26 (54.2 ADP)

Coming into the 2024 season, it seemed just like the Solar may cut up their level guard minutes between Harris and Moriah Jefferson, however the youthful Harris has gotten the lion’s share of the reps on the place so far, and it’s carried out wonders for her fantasy worth. Harris is at the moment posting averages of 9.9 factors and three.3 assists and flattening 1.6 3-pointers in 29.9 minutes performed per recreation. As a result of a lot of what Connecticut does on offense is run by Alyssa Thomas, Harris nonetheless doesn’t have a lot of a ceiling as a playmaker, however her beginning place has been secured and he or she’s taking pictures the ball nicely sufficient to place her on the map in most fantasy codecs.