Top WNBA DFS Picks and Lineup Strategies for August 12
The WNBA season continues with a three-game slate Wednesday, beginning with a matchup between the Tempo, who are in the midst of a nine-game losing streak, and the Wings, who are fighting for a playoff spot. Later in the evening, the Valkyries will host the Sky, while the Fire will take on the Lynx in Portland.
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WNBA Games Today
Toronto Tempo at Dallas Wings: Tempo 4-11 on road, on nine-game losing streak; Wings 9-6 at home, on three-game losing streak
Chicago Sky at Golden State Valkyries: Sky 4-12 on road; Valkyries 13-4 at home, on four-game winning streak
Minnesota Lynx at Portland Fire: Lynx 13-2 on road; Fire 8-9 at home
For the latest spreads and over/unders, visit RotoWire's WNBA Odds page. There you can also find player props, futures, picks, articles and sportsbook bonus codes.
WNBA Injury Report Today
For all the latest updates, visit RotoWire's WNBA Injury News page and our comprehensive WNBA Injury Report.
Dallas Wings - Alysha Clark (back), Azzi Fudd (knee): Questionable; Jessica Shepard (ankle): OUT
Toronto Tempo - Julie Allemand (thigh), Maria Conde (calf), Brittney Sykes (foot): OUT
Chicago Sky - Skylar Diggins (knee), Sydney Taylor (groin): OUT
Golden State Valkyries - Janelle Salaun (knee): Questionable; Kiah Stokes (concussion): OUT
Minnesota Lynx - Chloe Bibby (personal): Doubtful
Portland Fire - Teja Oblak (knee): Probable; Carla Leite (knee): Questionable); Amy Okonkwo (rest): OUT
Elite WNBA DFS Players
Guards
FanDuel
Veronica Burton, Valkyries 
($6,800) vs. Sky
Burton has the fourth-highest salary of any guard on Wednesday's slate on FanDuel, but her salary is still $1,400 lower than Olivia Miles, who has the highest salary on the platform. Burton was held in check Sunday against the Sparks, logging seven points, seven assists and three steals in 29 minutes, snapping a streak of six consecutive appearances with double-digit points. During that six-game streak, she had exceeded 4x value at this salary in each appearance, so she has plenty of value if she can bounce back Wednesday.
DraftKings
Olivia Miles, Lynx 
($10,900) at Fire
Unlike the FanDuel picks, my DraftKings targets include the top two salaries on Wednesday's slate. Miles has the highest salary of any guard on the heels of four consecutive appearances with at least 42.5 DK points. During that four-game span, she's hit the 20-point threshold in each outing, and she's coming off a double-double Sunday against Dallas. Even with Napheesa Collier back in action, Miles has been incredibly consistent and has the potential to provide value at this salary.
Forwards/Centers
FanDuel
Bridget Carleton, Fire 
($6,600) vs. Lynx
Like Veronica Burton, Carleton has the fourth-highest salary of any player at her position on FanDuel for Wednesday's slate, but her salary being $2,000 lower than the top player on the platform -- Napheesa Collier -- should allow for flexibility elsewhere on DFS rosters. At her current salary, Carleton would have provided at least 4x value in each of her last seven appearances, and she's posted double-doubles in two of her last three outings.
DraftKings
Napheesa Collier, Lynx ($11,200) at Fire
While this was unintentional, my DraftKings picks include a pair of stacks, beginning with the two top options on the slate. Collier has the highest salary of any player on the platform for Wednesday, but she's shed any limitations she faced upon making her season debut in late July, as she's played at least 31 minutes in each of her four appearances to begin the month. Collier has finished with at least 41.0 DK points in each of those four outings and faces a Fire defense that has been lackluster against opposing forwards.
Mid-Range WNBA DFS Picks
FanDuel
Nyara Sabally, Tempo 
($6,200) at Wings
Sabally's salary comes close to the elite range, but pairing her with players like Veronica Burton and Bridget Carleton, who fall on the lower end of the elite tier in terms of salary, could make them all work in the same DFS roster. Sabally is coming off her first double-double of the season Monday against the Dream. She's provided at least 4x value at this salary in four consecutive appearances, as well as at least 5x value in each of her last three outings.
DraftKings
Alanna Smith, Wings 
($6,300) vs. Tempo
Smith had a limited role over the first half of her debut season with the Wings, but she's seen her role increase over the past week, playing at least 27 minutes in each of her last three outings. She's posted at least 21.0 DK points in each of those appearances, including a performance against the Mystics last Wednesday in which she amassed 47.3 DK points. The Wings will be playing without key frontcourt contributor Jessica Shepard (ankle) during their matchup against Toronto, which could free up even more usage for Smith.
WNBA DFS Value Picks
FanDuel
Cecilia Zandalasini, Valkyries ($4,400) vs. Sky
Zandalasini has been an inconsistent option for most of the year, but she's coming off one of her best performances of the season Sunday against the Sparks, as she recorded 15 points, seven rebounds, two assists and a steal en route to 29.4 FD points. She's now posted at least 28.7 FD points in two of her last five appearances, and while she was held below 15 FD points in her other three outings during that time, her salary on Wednesday's slate is low enough to make her worth considering despite her inconsistency.
DraftKings
Li Yueru, Wings ($4,100) vs. Tempo
Closing out the Wings stack, another player who could see increased work in Jessica Shepard's absence is Yueru. The 27-year-old Yueru has come off the bench in all 25 of her appearances during her first year with Dallas, and while it's not yet clear whether she'll take on a starting role Wednesday, she played 27 minutes during Sunday's loss to Minnesota when Shepard exited early. Even if Awak Kuier enters the starting lineup in Shepard's absence, it wouldn't be surprising to see Yueru generate more production given her efficiency for most of the year.
