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WNBA Fantasy: Las Vegas Aces’ Kelsey Plum joins 50-point club

Most sportsbooks now have Kelsey Plum in the top three of WNBA MVP odds. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

It seems crazy to say this just a day past the one-month mark of the season, but we’re already almost halfway through the WNBA fantasy regular season in standard ESPN leagues. If your league is set to the default — nine matchups before the playoffs — you’ve already finished four of them and have just five remaining.

That means if you’re still toward the bottom of the standings, it’s probably time to start thinking about shaking things up. We’ve got you covered with who can help you do that, as well as everything else you need to know from the past week in fantasy.

Risers

These are the top risers in fantasy ranking over the past week. We’ve only included players who were ranked a week ago, meaning they had already played a game at that point.

3. Satou Sabally: 17 spots (current 42nd, previous 59th)

At this time a week ago, Sabally hadn’t started a game yet. She had played in just three games since returning from her overseas season, and she averaged just 20 minutes off the bench in those games.

Since then, she has started every game and averaged over 27 minutes per game, so it makes sense that she’s climbed the leaderboard. The third-year forward has posted two straight double-doubles and has averaged four assists since being inserted into the startling lineup.

2. Kahleah Copper: 19 spots (current 39th, previous 58th)

Copper finished May without a 25-point performance in fantasy. She has surpassed that mark in both June games thus far while averaging 18 points and, impressively for a guard, seven rebounds per game.

The reigning Finals MVP also seems to be making good on her promise to improve her outside stroke this season. She’s attempting more than three triples a game for the first time in her career and has still managed to increase her efficiency to 35 percent for the first time since 2018.

1. Elizabeth Williams: 22 spots (current 70th, previous 92nd)

Just like in our last fantasy piece, a Mystics big has landed on this list after Shakira Austin cracked the top three with a 25-spot ascent. Williams also completes the trifecta of players on this list who got a late start to their WNBA season due to overseas commitments. It appears that these players took a week or two to adjust and are starting to find their footing in the WNBA again.

Washington’s crowded frontcourt has made it difficult for Williams to get significant playing time when everyone is healthy, but her rise this week is largely due to a game in which she made the most of her time on the floor. Last Tuesday against the Fever, Williams pulled down 15 boards and blocked six shots, all in under 23 minutes.

Fallers

On the flip side of the risers, you have the fallers — those players whose rank has dropped off in the last seven days.

3. NaLyssa Smith: 12 spots (current 33rd, previous 21st)

The fact that falling a mere 12 spots is enough to land on this list says more about the fact that the rankings are starting to stabilize than it does about NaLyssa Smith — although Smith’s ankle hasn’t done her any favors either.

Long term, there’s absolutely nothing to worry about with the No. 2 overall pick, who has established herself as a force for years to come. But since returning from the injury, she’s averaged under five rebounds per game after not being below five in any single game prior. She’s also coming off of her first two games below 20 fantasy points.

2. Marina Mabrey: 12 spots (current 36th, previous 24th)

Peak Marina Mabrey is a scoring machine who perfectly complements Arike Ogunbowale. This past week was not peak Marina Mabrey.

The Wings guard had reached double figures in scoring in 11 consecutive regular season games before managing fewer than seven points in three of her last four. As Ty Harris begins to eat into Mabrey’s minutes, the Wings’ lineup rotation is a situation worth monitoring.

1. Yvonne Anderson: 17 spots (current 114th, previous 97th)

Even being in the league as a 32-year-old rookie is a massive achievement, so this is nothing for Anderson to hang her head over. It also speaks to Anderson’s accomplishments that she was able to crack the top 100 at any point.

But that momentum is fading as Curt Miller has reverted to a shorter rotation. Anderson appears to be on the outside looking in, having played just nine minutes in Connecticut’s last three games.

Adds and Drops

One of the most important aspects of winning a fantasy title is attentiveness. If you want to have a shot, you’ve got to stay on top of the latest trends and news and make sure you’re fielding the best possible team at any given moment. What looked like the best combination of nine players you could put together a week or two ago may no longer be the case today.

Here, we give you the best widely-available players to consider picking up, as well as the players potentially worth cutting to free up that roster spot. Keep in mind, this may vary a little depending on your league size: A player worth rostering in a 10-team league isn’t necessarily viable in an eight-team league.

Adds

Rachel Banham

There’s sort of a cruel irony in the fact that Banham occupies this spot by virtue of an injury to the player we featured in our last fantasy piece. Without Moriah Jefferson for the foreseeable future, Cheryl Reeve will be forced to turn to Banham as a makeshift point guard.

Regardless of whether it works out in real life, it should pay big dividends in fantasy. Banham put up 24 fantasy points in 32 minutes on Sunday in Jefferson’s absence. Her 1.5 percent ownership rate is simply nowhere close to high enough.

Elizabeth Williams

Williams is owned in over 14 times the number of leagues in which Banham is owned, but 22.2 percent still seems low for a player who’s essentially scoring a fantasy point a minute.

Yes, that only helps you if the minutes are there, but despite minutes in the teens, Williams’ spot in the rotation is clearly safe. With her production and the injury/load management issues that Washington continues to deal with, don’t be surprised if Williams sees her minutes spike into the 20s at some point. You’ll be glad to have her when that happens.

Drops

Tiffany Mitchell

Mitchell has never averaged fewer than 20 minutes per game in her seven-year career, but that looks likely to change this season. The veteran is playing just 13.8 minutes a contest, but that number is in the single digits over the last seven games.

With all the rookies and young talent on Indiana’s roster, it appears that they are opting to phase Mitchell out in the final year of her contract and use those minutes to develop their potential future stars. That is not good news for Mitchell’s fantasy owners.

Jasmine Thomas

This one should be obvious: Thomas is out for the year with a torn ACL. But apparently it’s not obvious to almost half of fantasy managers because Thomas is still owned in 47.9 percent of ESPN leagues.

Yes, there is an IR spot for stashing an injured player, but that spot should be used for someone like Napheesa Collier, Riquna Williams or Tiffany Hayes. Unless you are in a keeper or dynasty league in which you’ll be retaining players for 2023, use that spot for someone who could be back this season.

Fantasy performances of the week

Diana Taurasi, 51 fantasy points (June 3 vs. Connecticut)

Of course Taurasi ended up on this list again. After becoming the first player aged 39 or older to score 30 in a game with her 31 points on May 19, she had to go and outdo herself with 32 on Friday against the Sun.

It helped that she had three stocks (steals plus blocks) as well, as those are the only two stat categories worth more than one fantasy point in ESPN standard scoring. That was tied for her highest stock total since her fourth game in the bubble.

Sabrina Ionescu, 52 fantasy points (June 5 vs. Minnesota)

When fans and media members talk about Ionescu showing “flashes of brilliance,” they are referring to games like this. The former No. 1 pick has multiple games with just two (real life) points this year, but after this one, she also has multiple games with 31.

If Ionescu can start playing like this on a more consistent basis, the Liberty may be able to dig themselves out of the cellar of the standings. For now, it’s more of a tease for New York fans and Sabrina owners alike.

Breanna Stewart, 52 fantasy points (June 3 vs. Dallas)

There was a tie this week for best fantasy performance, so we gave the last spot here to the 2022 leader in fantasy points per game. In addition to pouring in 27 points (which somehow is only mildly above average for her), Stewart also recorded seven stocks in this game.

Notably, this was Stewart’s 29th career game with at least 50 fantasy points, tying Sylvia Fowles for seventh all time. Everyone above her on the list is either retired or, at a minimum, strongly considering it very soon. Stewart, meanwhile, is 27 years old and missed an entire season due to injury. We’re witnessing greatness.

Miscellaneous fantasy stat of the week

Two days after Stewart recorded her 29th career 50-point fantasy performance, another player recorded her first.

Kelsey Plum was labeled by some as a bust after being drafted No. 1 overall in 2017 and failing to average double figures in scoring until four years later. We can put that talk to rest now.

Among all of the other stellar numbers Plum has put up this season, she joined the 50-point fantasy club against Dallas on Sunday. Perhaps more impressive? She played all 40 minutes of that one.

Most sportsbooks now have Plum in the top three of their MVP odds, behind only her teammate, A’ja Wilson, and Stewart. Give Becky Hammon an assist for unlocking the full potential of the NCAA’s career scoring leader, but it’s time to appreciate what this budding superstar is becoming in 2022.

Calvin Wetzel is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports, covering basketball and betting. He also contributes to Her Hoop Stats, CBS SportsLine and FiveThirtyEight. Follow him on Twitter at @cwetzel31.

US Tennis Stars Advance as Wimbledon Field Narrows

Italy's Jasmine Paolini celebrates her first-round win over Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships
World No. 4 Jasmine Paolini fell in the second round of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships on Wednesday. (Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images)

The 2025 Wimbledon Championships wrapped its second round on Thursday, with the grass court Grand Slam seeing just 15 of the tournament's 32 seeded players advance to the Friday and Saturday's third round.

A full half of the WTA's Top 10 players did not survive the week, with 2024 Wimbledon finalist and world No. 5 Jasmine Paolini joining four first-round star exits by falling to unseeded Kamilla Rakhimova in a three-set, second-round battle on Wednesday.

At the same time, unseeded fan favorites like Japan's No. 53 Naomi Osaka and England's own No. 40 Emma Raducanu secured third-round spots at the London Slam, joining top surviving contenders like No. 4 Iga Świątek and defending Wimbledon champion No. 16 Barbora Krejčíková.

Notably, a full five US players managed to move ahead, tied for the largest national contingent still standing at the tournament.

Led by 2025 Australian Open champion No. 8 Madison Keys, the US group also includes No. 10 Emma Navarro and No. 12 Amanda Anisimova, as well as unseeded players No. 54 Danielle Collins and No. 55 Hailey Baptiste.

With matches against Świątek and No. 7 Mirra Andreeva, respectively, Collins and Baptiste have a tough third round ahead — though Navarro's battle against the 2024 champ Krejčíková arguably headlines Saturday's slate.

US tennis star Emma Navarro eyes a return during a 2025 Wimbledon match.
US star Emma Navarro will face 2024 champ Barbora Krejčíková in Wimbledon's Round of 32. (Rob Newell/CameraSport via Getty Images)

How to watch Wimbledon this weekend

While world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is still holding strong in the dwindling field, this year's Wimbledon play is proving that the London Slam is anyone's to take, as the grass court humbles even the sport's top stars.

Expect the twists and turns to continue as tennis's best battle for spots in Sunday's Round of 16.

Round-of-32 Wimbledon play kicks off at 6 AM ET on Friday, with live continuous coverage of the tournament airing on ESPN.

Finland Opens Women’s Euro 2025 with Upset Upset Win Over Iceland

Finland's Katariina Kosola and Emma Koivisto celebrate a goal during their opening 2025 Euro match.
Finland earned a surprise 1-0 win over Iceland in their 2025 Euro opener on Wednesday. (Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

The 2025 European Championship is officially underway, as Euro action kicked off with a group-stage upset on Wednesday.

Though the 2025 UEFA tournament's opener was a sweltering affair amid a European heat wave, world No. 26 Finland prevailed, earning a 1-0 upset win over No. 14 Iceland in Group A.

Finnish winger Katariina Kosola played hero, curling in the winning goal in the match's 70th minute — just 12 minutes after Iceland midfielder Hildur Antonsdóttir picked up the competition's first red card.

"The result is important for our confidence," Kosola said after Finland's first major tournament win since the 2009 Euro. "It was the kind of goal I have been practicing a lot."

"It's terrible to lose and we feel frustrated," said Iceland head coach Thorsteinn Halldórsson. "It is an even group and we knew Finland were good, but our first half wasn't good enough."

Elsewhere, No. 16 Norway closed out Wednesday's slate on top of Group A, taking three points by defeating host No. 23 Switzerland in day's second match.

Led by captain and 2018 Ballon d'Or winner Ada Hegerberg — who pulled the match even with a second-half strike — Norway battled to a 2-1 comeback win, despite the Swiss side outshooting and out-possessing the Norwegians.

Spain jersey hang in lockers ahead of the team's 2025 Euro opening match against Portugal.
Reigning World Cup champions Spain will open their 2025 Euro account against Portugal. (Aitor Alcalde - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

How to watch this week's 2025 Euro action

Group B steals the 2025 Euro spotlight on Thursday.

While No. 13 Italy snagged a 1-0 opening win over No. 20 Belgium to kick off the day, 2023 World Cup champions and tournament favorite No. 2 Spain will face No. 22 Portugal at 3 PM ET.

Friday's Group C slate will pit No. 12 Denmark against No. 6 Sweden at 12 PM ET, before No. 3 Germany contends with No. 27 Poland at 3 PM ET.

Closing out the first group-stage matches will be arguably the toughest draw of the 2025 Euro pool.

Saturday's Group D slate features major tournament debutants No. 30 Wales against the No. 11 Netherlands at 12 PM ET, with No. 10 France taking on defending champions No. 5 England to cap the day at 3 PM ET.

Live coverage of 2025 Euro matches will air across Fox Sports platforms.

USWNT Caps Summer Friendlies with 3-0 Canada Shutout

Yazmeen Ryan, Michelle Cooper, Claire Hutton, Mandy McGlynn, and Izzy Rodriguez and the rest of the USWNT huddle after their July 2025 friendly win over Canada.
The USWNT finished the summer international window with 11 goals, conceding none, across three matches. (Brad Smith/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)

The world No. 1 USWNT ruled the pitch on Wednesday night, shutting out North American rivals No. 8 Canada 3-0 to finish the international window on a high note.

Catching the Canada backline sleeping, US midfielder Sam Coffey opened the scoring at the 17-minute mark before 19-year-old Claire Hutton claimed her first-ever USWNT goal by heading in a Rose Lavelle corner kick in the game's 36th minute.

Houston Dash forward Yazmeen Ryan then padded the US tally in the waning minutes of the match, finding the back of the net just eight minutes after subbing onto the field.

Despite fielding a young roster, the US overpowered a veteran-heavy Canada side in almost every category, topping their Northern neighbors in shots, shots on target, possession, and — most notably — set pieces.

Canada ultimately couldn't match the game's mental pace or physical battle, as the USWNT scored all three goals off dead ball situations — a free kick, a corner kick, and a throw-in.

"It's not about the opponent," US head coach Emma Hayes said after the match. "It's about what we do, and I felt that was extremely dominant."

With Wednesday's contributions, the USWNT finishes the summer window with 11 goals scored across the three friendlies — and zero goals conceded.

The US now enters an extended break before reconvening for another as-yet-unannounced friendly series in October — but players will be expected to perform in the meantime.

"I said to the players in the end in the huddle, if you want to compete to win the biggest things, it's not what you do here that matters," said Hayes. "It's what you do when you go back to your club."

Seattle Storm Looks to Climb the WNBA Standings in Weekend Gauntlet

Seattle Storm star Nneka Ogwumike high-fives teammates as she's introduced before a 2025 WNBA game.
The No. 5 Seattle Storm will face No. 4 Atlanta and No. 3 New York this weekend. (Soobum Im/NBAE via Getty Images)

The 2025 WNBA regular season returns on Thursday night, with teams at the top of the league standings looking to prove their mettle against close competition across the long holiday weekend.

The No. 5 Seattle Storm have arguably the toughest weekend assignments, taking on the No. 4 Atlanta Dream on Friday before tackling the No. 3 New York Liberty on Sunday.

Four middle-of-the-pack teams will look to close in on a double-digit season win tally while the league's frontrunners strive to maintain their advantage in this weekend's slate:

  • No. 7 Las Vegas Aces vs. No. 8 Indiana Fever, Thursday at 7 PM ET (Prime): Though still without star Caitlin Clark, the Fever hope to harness their 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup victory momentum against an Aces side tied with Indiana with an 8-8 season record.
  • No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 4 Atlanta Dream, Thursday at 7:30 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): Seattle will look to make strides against a strong Atlanta side while putting last Sunday's stinging 84-57 loss to up-and-comer Golden State in their rearview.
  • No. 6 Golden State Valkyries vs. No. 1 Minnesota Lynx, Saturday at 8 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The rising Valkyries must face a Lynx side hunting redemption, as the league-leaders look to bounce back from their stifling Tuesday Commissioner's Cup upset loss.
  • No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 3 New York Liberty, Sunday at 1 PM ET (CBS): With injured Liberty center Jonquel Jones still sidelined, the Seattle Storm will have a chance to steal a weekend game against the reigning champs, as New York struggles to re-find their footing.

With the 2025 WNBA All-Star break looming, early top performers must keep standards high if they want to hold the line when the season crosses the midway point.

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