We have a three-game slate in the WNBA on Thursday, and despite it being a smaller slate than Tuesday's loaded five-game agenda, there should be lots of areas to extract value when playing DFS. Here we'll take a look at which players are worth targeting for your lineups.
WNBA Schedule Today
- Atlanta Dream at Chicago Sky
- Connecticut Sun at Los Angeles Sparks
- Indiana Fever at Phoenix Mercury
RotoWire WNBA DFS Tools
Daily Matchups (Vegas Odds, Team Efficiency, Pace, Opposing Stats)
Atlanta Dream 
at Chicago Sky 
Line: Dream -10.5
O/U: 160.5
Injury Report - Dream vs. Sky
Note: All return dates are just estimates
Atlanta
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brittney Griner | C | Neck | GTD (Doubtful) | 8/7/2025 |
| Rhyne Howard | G | Knee | GTD (Doubtful) | 8/7/2025 |
| Taylor Thierry | F | Ankle | GTD (Questionable) | 8/7/2025 |
| Maya Caldwell | G | Personal | OUT | 8/10/2025 |
| Holly Winterburn | G | Undisclosed | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
Chicago
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ariel Atkins | G | Leg | GTD (Questionable) | 8/7/2025 |
| Michaela Onyenwere | F | Knee | GTD (Probable) | 8/7/2025 |
| Hailey Van Lith | G | Ankle | GTD (Probable) | 8/7/2025 |
| Angel Reese | F | Back | OUT | 8/13/2025 |
| Ajsa Sivka | F | Not Injury Related | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
| Courtney Vandersloot | G | Knee | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
WNBA DFS Showdown Picks and Lineup Building Strategy
This is a battle between two teams going in opposite directions, and it's not surprising to see the Dream as heavy favorites against a Sky team that is tied for the second-fewest wins in the WNBA thus far. With an 8-21 record, Chicago managed to stop its losing skid with a 78-64 win over the Mystics on Tuesday thanks to Elizabeth Williams and Kamilla Cardoso, who combined for 34 points and 23 rebounds. Despite the bounce-back performance in the win over Washington, it's hard to see the Sky putting up a fight against an Atlanta team that has won three in a row and four of its last five. While there should be some value in a few Sky players, it'd be wise to carry a Dream stack in some formats as well.
Connecticut Sun 
at Los Angeles Sparks 
Line: Sparks -9.5
O/U: 174.5
Injury Report - Sun vs. Sparks
Note: All return dates are just estimates
Connecticut
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bria Hartley | G | Illness | GTD (Questionable) | 8/7/2025 |
| Aaliyah Edwards | F | Not Injury Related | GTD (Doubtful) | 8/7/2025 |
Los Angeles
No injuries to report.
WNBA DFS Showdown Picks and Lineup Building Strategy
The Sparks sit ninth in the WNBA, but they're just one game behind the Valkyries and seem to be trending in the right direction after winning four of their last five, including two in a row. Los Angeles pulled off a huge upset in a 100-91 win over the Fever on Tuesday, and the team should have a strong chance of keeping its solid run alive in this matchup against Connecticut. The Sun have the worst record in the WNBA by a wide margin at 5-23 and have lost two in a row, as well as three of their last four. They're coming off a 82-66 loss to the Mercury on Tuesday, but the recent wins against the Liberty and Valkyries suggest the team can't be taken for granted. The Sparks should be heavy favorites, though, and some of their players should carry solid DFS value across the board in what figures to be a very favorable matchup.
Indiana Fever 
at Phoenix Mercury 
Line: Mercury -4.0
O/U: 172.5
Injury Report - Fever vs. Mercury
Note: All return dates are just estimates
Indiana
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caitlin Clark | G | Groin | OUT | 8/12/2025 |
| Kristy Wallace | G | Not Injury Related | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
Phoenix
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helena Pueyo | G | Personal | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
| Julia Ayrault | G | Personal | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
WNBA DFS Showdown Picks and Lineup Building Strategy
Without a doubt, this matchup between the Fever and Mercury will be the biggest game on the slate -- and for good reasons. Even though Caitlin Clark has yet to return to action for Indiana, the Fever sit at fifth in the standings and are in a good position to reach the playoffs after winning four of their last five contests. The Mercury can say the same thing, as they'd currently be the fourth seed with an 18-11 record while winning two in a row and three of their last five. Additionally, the Mercury will aim to avenge the recent 107-101 loss they suffered at the hands of Indiana on July 30.
WNBA DFS Picks Today
DraftKings
- Alyssa Thomas ($12,000)
- Dearica Hamby ($11,200)
- Aliyah Boston ($11,000)
It shouldn't be surprising to see Thomas as the player with the highest salary on Thursday's slate, as she's going to be a popular pick to anchor lineups -- and for good reason. She's coming off two straight triple-doubles and posted 13 points (3-7 FG, 7-8 FT), 12 rebounds, 12 assists and three steals across 32 minutes in Tuesday's 82-66 win over the Sun. The star forward has posted either a triple-double or a double-double in each of her previous six outings and has averaged a solid 17.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.7 steals per contest since the All-Star break. The Mercury have a tough matchup against the Fever, but that shouldn't stop anyone from going after Thomas as a strong building block in any lineup.
DFS managers looking to go in a different direction could easily go with Hamby, who's been very productive for the Sparks of late and has a far easier matchup against the Sun. Hamby is coming off a 16-point, seven-rebound, three-assist performance in the win over the Fever on Tuesday, and she's been highly consistent in recent weeks while delivering a strong two-way impact. Since the All-Star break, Hamby has notched four double-doubles across six outings while averaging 18.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and a combined 1.1 steals-plus-blocks per game.
Last but not least, DFS managers who are targeting the Fever vs. Mercury matchup should take a look at what Boston brings to the table as well. Clark's absence has allowed Boston to flourish as the team's go-to scoring weapon, and she's responded well to the increased responsibilities. The third-year center, who has yet to miss a game in her career, saw a streak of six games with a double-double snap in the loss to the Sparks on Tuesday, although she still posted a solid line of 15 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Boston has been putting up solid numbers since the All-Star break with averages of 15.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 47.7 percent from the floor.
Unlocking Value: WNBA DFS Sleeper Picks
- Lexie Hull ($4,500)
- Leila Lacan ($5,000)
- Cameron Brink ($5,600)
FanDuel
FanDuel offers the same recommendations as DraftKings in terms of projections, with Boston, Thomas and Hamby leading the way. However, here are other players worth targeting to build your lineups around in this three-game slate.
- Kamilla Cardoso ($9,800)
- Marina Mabrey ($8,300)
- Brionna Jones ($6,600)
The Sky have struggled massively throughout the season, but Cardoso has been one of the team's few bright spots all campaign long. The star center is currently on a run of seven straight double-doubles since the All-Star break, averaging 14.0 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 0.7 blocks per game in that stretch. The Sky are without Angel Reese (back) for the foreseeable future, and it's unclear whether Ariel Atkins (leg) will play Thursday, meaning Cardoso could be in line for an uptick in offensive touches once again. Since the All-Star break, Cardoso has averaged 11.0 field goal attempts per game, which should give her a strong floor under the current rotation construction.
Mabrey is perhaps the lone player worth targeting on a struggling Connecticut team, and even though she's found ways to deliver in fantasy, she's not escaping the overall woes. The main issue with Mabrey has been the lack of efficiency from the floor, as she's shooting a meager 33.3 percent overall since the All-Star break. However, she's also scored in double digits in four of her last six appearances, so she's putting up points based on volume and not efficiency. DFS managers would be wise to overlook the efficiency issues and rely on Mabrey once again, as she should have plenty of touches and opportunities to make an impact on offense, especially after Connecticut traded Jacy Sheldon to the Mystics on Thursday.
Jones is coming off her best scoring performance of the season after notching 23 points and five rebounds in a win over the Mystics on Sunday, marking just the third time she's reached the 20-point mark this season. Even though she endured a tough spell in July after averaging 10.4 points per game -- despite shooting over 50 percent from the floor -- she seems to have turned things around and has scored in double digits in her three previous appearances. For a mid-range salary among top-scoring options, Jones could be a solid alternative, particularly since the matchup is favorable for Atlanta.
Unlocking Value: WNBA DFS Sleeper Picks
- Aneesah Morrow ($5,000)
- Elizabeth Williams ($6,300)
- Sophie Cunningham ($5,500)
