Rebecca Allen among top players to add to your roster
We are about a third of the way into the WNBA season, which means that teams are pretty established and we’re getting a good idea of who everyone is.
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It also means that there are more injuries, and thus more opportunities for new players to get on the court and show what they can do.
This week’s group features, as always, players who have stepped up when given the chance and played themselves onto the fantasy-hoops radar.
Rebecca Allen, New York Liberty (34.7% rostered in ESPN leagues): Allen moved into the starting lineup for the Liberty six games ago, and has responded with averages of 11.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.7 3PG, 1.0 SPG and 0.8 BPG in 30.2 MPG during that stretch. She is a key contributor to the team and has across-the-board production to augment her solid scoring game.
Elizabeth Williams, Washington Mystics (22.2% rostered): Williams entered the season with the chance to claim the starting center role for the Mystics, but she had overseas obligations that delayed her joining the team and rookie Shakira Austin ended up winning the job. With that said, Williams has settled in as a serious post threat off the bench that is producing interesting numbers even in limited minutes. In her last four games, she’s averaged 8.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG and 2.3 BPG in only 19.3 MPG, highlighted by a 10-point, 15-rebound double-double with six blocks against the Fever that shows what she’s capable of with minutes and opportunity.
Aari McDonald, Atlanta Dream (17.2% rostered): McDonald has settled into her role as the spark-plug scorer/defender off the bench for the Dream, and is showing the talent and production that made her the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 WNBA draft. She’s scored double-figures in four of her last five games, and in her last nine is averaging 10.4 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.2 SPG, 2.1 APG and 1.7 3PG in 25.3 MPG. Her category-best games during that stretch are impressive and demonstrate her upside, featuring highs of 20 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 7 steals and 5 3-pointers in various games.
Tianna Hawkins, Washington Mystics (1.7% rostered): Hawkins is of most interest to managers with Elena Delle Donne on their team. Hawkins typically doesn’t get much run, but when Delle Donne sits for load management, Hawkins pounces. In the last three games Delle Donne has sat, Hawkins has averaged 14.0 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.3 APG, 1.0 SPG and 1.0 BPG in 20.3 MPG off the bench. As long as Delle Donne stays healthy, Hawkins doesn’t get enough consistent minutes for fantasy relevance. But if you have Delle Donne on your team and there’s room on your bench, Hawkins could make a good insurance policy any time Delle Donne isn’t available.
Rachel Banham, Minnesota Lynx (1.5% rostered): Banham moved into the starting lineup two games ago with Moriah Jefferson (quad) out, and responded with averages of 10.0 PPG, 5.0 APG, 3.0 RPG and 2.0 3PG in 24.5 MPG. She played 32 minutes in the Lynx win over the Liberty, and with Jefferson out “indefinitely,” Banham has the chance to produce.