This article is part of our WNBA Betting Picks series.
The 2025 WNBA season continues with a four-game slate Friday. The Minnesota Lynx and the Phoenix Mercury will aim to continue their undefeated starts to the campaign when facing the Connecticut Sun and Seattle Storm, respectively. Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Aces are looking to shake off an uneven start to the campaign when facing the Washington Mystics. Last but not least, there will be a battle of California when the Golden State Valkyries take on the Los Angeles Sparks.
There's plenty of value in this four-game slate, so let's take a look at which players are worth targeting from a DFS perspective.
WNBA Schedule Today
- Connecticut Sun at Minnesota Lynx
- Washington Mystics at Las Vegas Aces
- Golden State Valkyries at Los Angeles Sparks
- Phoenix Mercury at Seattle Storm
RotoWire WNBA DFS Tools
Daily Matchups (Vegas Odds, Team Efficiency, Pace, Opposing Stats)
Connecticut Sun 
at Minnesota Lynx 
Line: Lynx -16.5
O/U: 160.0
Injury Updates and Impact on WNBA DFS Lineups - Sun vs. Lynx
Note: All return dates are just estimates
Connecticut
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aneesah Morrow | F | Knee | GTD (Questionable) | 5/23/2025 |
| Leila Lacan | G | Not Injury Related | OUT | 6/1/2025 |
Minnesota
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alanna Smith | F | Quadriceps | GTD (Probable) | 5/23/2025 |
| Marieme Badiane | C | Back | GTD (Probable) | 5/23/2025 |
| Kayla McBride | G | Personal | OUT | 5/27/2025 |
| Aubrey Griffin | G | Knee | OUT | 6/1/2025 |
| Dorka Juhasz | F | Not Injury Related | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
The Lynx are pacing the way in the Western Conference and have jumped to a 3-0 record after opening the season with wins over the Wings (twice) and the Sparks. Granted, the Wings are 0-3 and amid a rebuilding process, and the Sparks are also a couple of players away from being a contender, but nothing should be taken away from Minnesota's impressive start to the season. The remarkable play of Napheesa Collier has been the driving force of this team, and the Lynx have a favorable matchup against the Sun on Friday.
Connecticut has been one of the most disappointing teams in the early stages of the 2025 WNBA season and has yet to win a game after opening the campaign with back-to-back losses to the Aces and Mystics. The handicap might be a bit generous on Minnesota's side, but so far, Connecticut hasn't shown signs to make anyone believe they'd be able to compete with the league's best team. With the Lynx playing at home, they should cruise to a comfortable victory while extending the Sun's early-season woes.
Washington Mystics 
at Las Vegas Aces 
Line: Aces -14.0
O/U: 165.5
Injury Updates and Impact on WNBA DFS Lineups - Mystics vs. Aces
Note: All return dates are just estimates
Washington
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shakira Austin | C | Concussion | OUT | 5/25/2025 |
| Aaliyah Edwards | F | Back | OUT | 6/3/2025 |
| Georgia Amoore | G | Knee | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
| Bernadett Hatar | C | Not Injury Related | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
Las Vegas
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Megan Gustafson | C | Lower Leg | OUT | 7/3/2025 |
| Cheyenne Parker-Tyus | F | Not Injury Related | OUT | 8/15/2025 |
It's incredibly early to talk about records since no team has played more than three games, but the start of the season has been a positive one for the Mystics since they're 2-1 so far. Meanwhile, the Aces are 1-1, but they can't be too unhappy with their first two performances. After all, their loss in the season opener came against the reigning champions, the Liberty, and they bounced back admirably with a 25-point win over the Sun the last time out. One thing is sure, though. The Aces remain one of the most talented teams in the league and should continue to be considered a genuine title contender, while the Mystics are nowhere near that echelon yet. Thus, it's not surprising to see the Aces as a heavy favorite for this matchup, where they'll also have the advantage of being at home.
Golden State Valkyries 
at Los Angeles Sparks 
Line: Sparks -10.5
O/U: 159.5
Injury Updates and Impact on WNBA DFS Lineups - Valkyries vs. Sparks
Note: All return dates are just estimates
Golden State
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monique Billings | F | Ankle | GTD (Questionable) | 5/23/2025 |
| Tiffany Hayes | G | Nose | OUT | 5/27/2025 |
| Cecilia Zandalasini | G | Foot | OUT | 5/27/2025 |
| Maria Conde | F | Achilles | OUT | 8/1/2025 |
| Juste Jocyte | G | Not Injury Related | OFS | 9/12/2025 |
Los Angeles
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rickea Jackson | F | Concussion | OUT | 5/25/2025 |
| Cameron Brink | F | Knee | OUT | 6/1/2025 |
| Rae Burrell | G | Lower Leg | OUT | 6/29/2025 |
The Valkyries and the Sparks will collide for the second time this season, with the previous meeting ending with a comfortable 84-67 victory for Los Angeles. Even though the Sparks have shown flashes of brilliance at times, they're coming off back-to-back losses to Minnesota and Phoenix, though those two teams are undefeated. Meanwhile, Golden State bounced back from the loss to the Sparks with a two-point victory over the Mystics -- the team's first-ever WNBA regular-season win. It's hard to analyze whether the Sparks will be able to bounce back after two straight losses against playoff-caliber teams, or if the Valkyries will start a winning streak. However, the body of work in the first week of the regular season leans toward the Sparks, and Los Angeles should be able to get back to winning ways here in front of their crowd.
Phoenix Mercury 
at Seattle Storm 
Line: Storm -5.5
O/U: 157.0
Injury Updates and Impact on WNBA DFS Lineups - Mercury vs. Storm
Note: All return dates are just estimates
Phoenix
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monique Akoa-Makani | G | Knee | GTD (Probable) | 5/23/2025 |
| Natasha Mack | F | Back | OUT | 6/1/2025 |
| Kahleah Copper | G | Knee | OUT | 6/15/2025 |
| Helena Pueyo | G | Personal | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
| Julia Ayrault | G | Personal | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
Seattle
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katie Lou Samuelson | F | Knee | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
| Jordan Horston | G | Knee | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
| Nika Muhl | G | Knee | OFS | 5/1/2026 |
The Mercury are one of three undefeated teams in the WNBA following the first week of the regular season, as they have opened the campaign with wins over the Storm and Sparks, and they're aiming to move to 3-0 in this road matchup against Seattle. The previous head-to-head meeting ended with a comfortable 81-59 win for Phoenix. Seattle showed signs of recovery in their immediate meeting after the last loss, though, and they defeated the Wings, one of the winless teams in the league, by an eight-point margin. The Storm should make this game closer by being at home, though, and it wouldn't be surprising if they avenge the loss from the season opener. The spread certainly backs the Storm for this one.
Top WNBA DFS Picks: Key Players to Watch
DraftKings
- A'ja Wilson ($12,200)
- Napheesa Collier ($12,500)
- Azura Stevens ($8,800)
Drafting Wilson in any lineup would be expensive, but there's no question the star center is worth her salary. She's listed as the second-most expensive player on the slate, but she should deliver a dominant performance against the Mystics' frontcourt. Wilson is enjoying a solid start to the season even if the Aces haven't looked at their best yet in their first two matches. Even with Las Vegas going 1-1, the veteran is averaging 26.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.
Even though Wilson is the league's reigning MVP, it makes sense to see Collier as the highest-priced player on Friday's slate given how dominant she's been for one of the few undefeated teams through the first week of the regular season. Collier has scored at least 23 points in each of her three appearances for the Lynx and has carried the team to victory each time. The four-time WNBA All-Star should continue her red-hot ways against Connecticut. Collier is averaging 28.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, and she's also doing it with efficiency, shooting 57.7 percent from the floor and 44.4 percent from three-point range.
Stevens is the definition of a "value pick" for this slate, and she should handle a high usage rate in this game against a Valkyries team that has yet to hit the ground running. Stevens is coming off one of the best performances of her career in her previous outing, as she posted 23 points and 17 rebounds in an 89-86 loss to the Mercury on Wednesday, and she's now posted back-to-back 20-point performances. It wouldn't be surprising if she continues this trend against Golden State, as the Valkyries allowed 84 points in their previous meeting against Los Angeles this season.
Unlocking Value: WNBA DFS Sleeper Picks
- Veronica Burton ($4,600)
- Monique Akoa-Makani ($3,300)
FanDuel
Wilson and Collier are the top players for FanDuel as well, but there are other interesting options worth considering that deliver strong value on a per-salary basis. We'll highlight two:
- Alyssa Thomas ($8,000)
- Nneka Ogwumike ($7,200)
- Dearica Hamby ($6,900)
Thomas is one of the most intriguing players for DFS purposes. She tends to fill the stat sheet admirably and is enjoying a solid start to the 2025 season. The Mercury have gone 2-0 to start the season, and much of their success has been built on Thomas' impressive play on both ends of the court. While her salary isn't in the same range as Wilson or Collier, she's undoubtedly a strong play for this slate. Through the first two games of the season, Thomas is averaging 19.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks per contest.
The Storm have gone 1-1 to open the season, so it's too early to make any judgements about the potential of the team, but one thing is certain: this team will go as Ogwumike goes. The evidence in the early stages of the season supports that. Ogwumike posted 12 points and seven rebounds in the season-opening loss to the Mercury, but she bounced back in a big way in the 79-71 win over the Wings -- she ended with 23 points, 18 rebounds, three assists and two steals across 35 minutes. Fantasy managers who aren't sold on spending a big part of their budget on Wilson could look at Ogwumike as a solid frontcourt alternative.
Hamby posted double-doubles in her first two appearances of the season. While she was unable to post another one Wednesday against the Mercury, when she posted 15 points and seven rebounds, she's still a valuable DFS pick for Friday despite her top-tier salary. At her current salary, she would have provided 5x value against the Valkyries on Opening Night, and it wouldn't be surprising to see her have similar success Friday, especially since the Sparks will be playing at home.
Unlocking Value: WNBA DFS Sleeper Picks
- Odyssey Sims ($4,800)
- Natisha Hiedeman ($4,200)
