The opening weekend of the WNBA season is in the books, and we’ve already been treated to several fun performances. Elena Delle Donne scored 21 in her much-anticipated return, Jordin Canada posted 21 points and eight assists in her first game as a Spark to lead L.A. to an overtime road win over the Sky, and Rhyne Howard burst onto the scene with a stat line never before achieved in a WNBA debut.

For some of you, those performances may have put you well on your way to a 1-0 start to your fantasy career (or, if your opponent was the beneficiary, an 0-1 start). With ESPN’s addition of a season-long fantasy WNBA game, the first of its kind in major women’s sports, loads of fantasy players are in the midst of their first-ever WNBA matchup this week.

In this space throughout the season, we’ll regularly break down some of the key aspects of the fantasy world. Subsequent editions may look a little different once the season is in full swing and more players return from their overseas commitments, but it’s never too early to analyze what we’ve seen so far.

Risers

The landscape in any sport is constantly fluctuating throughout the season due to factors such as injuries, hot or cold streaks and rotation adjustments. Later on, we’ll be able to give you the biggest risers and fallers from the previous week’s ESPN fantasy rankings, but for now we can use ESPN’s preseason rankings for our baseline. Everyone has played only one or two games, so make of these what you will.

Yvonne Turner: 112 spots (current 59th, preseason 171st)

Turner’s inclusion on this list may be mostly about how shorthanded the 0-2 Lynx are (her teammate Jessica Shepard checks in right behind her at fourth).

Nevertheless, Turner deserves a lot of credit for stepping in and providing coach Cheryl Reeve with some ball-handling after not having played in the league since 2019.

Dana Evans: 128 spots (current 5th, preseason 133rd)

If ESPN only counted each player’s best quarter, Evans would probably be the highest-ranked player in the league right now. The second-year Sky guard spontaneously combusted in the third quarter of Chicago’s season opener, pouring in 17 points to go along with three assists and two steals.

The 24 fantasy points Evans recorded in the quarter were more than she had ever logged in any game and alone would put her just outside of the top 50.

Jocelyn Willoughby: 146 spots (current 33rd, preseason 179th)

Believe it or not, Evans’ explosion was not quite enough for the No. 1 spot on the risers list. That belongs to another young former ACC guard.

Playing in her first career game in a WNBA arena (two years removed from the bubble season), Jocelyn Willoughby made her presence felt in 29 productive minutes. Willoughby benefitted from the absences of Betnijah Laney and DiDi Richards, and she took full advantage.

And 1️⃣ for @swishbeast #OwntheCrown👑🗽 pic.twitter.com/Sin2I3ZGPL

— New York Liberty (@nyliberty) May 8, 2022

Fallers

On the flip side of the risers, you have the fallers — those players whose rank looked a lot better a week ago.

Erica Wheeler: 37 spots (current 57th, preseason 20th)

This one is probably a function of ESPN overrating Wheeler to start the season. Yes, Wheeler is a solid guard who should give the Dream a valuable veteran presence in the backcourt as they rebuild. But it’s hard to imagine that she finishes the season as one of the top 20 fantasy players in the game.

Plus, Atlanta has a rookie guard who looks like she’ll command a lot more usage than what ESPN projected. Speaking of Rhyne Howard’s touches…

Aari McDonald: 41 spots (current 108th, preseason 67th)

Like Wheeler, McDonald may end up with fewer counting stats than what ESPN thought thanks in large part to her new teammate. Howard entered the season ranked 38th on ESPN, but in her debut, she led the team in minutes as well as five of the six stats that count for fantasy points.

There’s also Kristy Wallace, who somehow didn’t even exist on ESPN’s preseason list but got the start and played 29 minutes for Atlanta on Saturday. McDonald came off the bench and scored just one point in 18 minutes. If Game 1 was any indication of what Tanisha Wright’s rotation will look like, McDonald may have a hard time living up to her preseason rank.

Arike Ogunbowale: 51 spots (current 68th, preseason 17th)

Arike owners, you have nothing to worry about. Ogunbowale’s game is suited perfectly for ESPN’s fantasy scoring system, which proportionally rewards scoring and shooting more heavily than defense and rebounding.

Sometimes stars just have an off night. Ogunbowale’s seven-point performance in Dallas’ opening loss was her lowest output since her rookie year. Give Atlanta’s defense plenty of credit, but don’t read anything into an anomaly to start the season.

Fantasy performances of the week(end)

Going forward, this section will recognize the top games of the past week from a fantasy perspective. However, with only one weekend under our belts, we’re taking a look at the best performances of the season so far.

Alyssa Thomas, 42 fantasy points (May 7 vs. New York)

Seeing Alyssa Thomas on the floor to open the season was refreshing after she missed the majority of 2021 with an Achilles injury. The two-time All-Star was at her best right away, pouring in 25 points with spin moves and her signature shot puts.

Add in her contributions on the other end of the floor (four steals) and on the glass (seven boards), and it was enough to give her one of the best fantasy outings of the young season.

Natisha Hiedeman ➡️ Alyssa Thomas for the and-1 😱 pic.twitter.com/sX06UMdn14

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 7, 2022

Sabrina Ionescu, 42 fantasy points (May 7 vs. Connecticut)

Thomas’ efforts weren’t enough to give her the outright title of most fantasy points in this game, nor were they enough for her team to win the game. That’s because Sabrina Ionescu did what Sabrina Ionescu does: fill the stat sheet.

While Ionescu’s efficiency left something to be desired last year, ESPN’s scoring system doesn’t care about that — only volume stats count for fantasy purposes. For that reason, the NCAA’s triple-double leader still finished in the top 20 in the league in total fantasy points in 2021, and she validated that with a stellar performance (both in real life and fantasy) to open the 2022 season.

Candace Parker, 44 fantasy points (May 6 vs. Los Angeles)

Candace Parker has made it known that her goal for this year’s regular season is to “not suck.” She probably wasn’t satisfied with the outcome of this game — an overtime loss for the Sky — but individually, it’s safe to say Parker didn’t suck.

The veteran contributed in all facets of the game. In terms of the six stats that count for fantasy points, Candace Parker’s line of 21 points, six rebounds, six assists, three steals, one block and three 3-pointers hadn’t been accomplished since Breanna Stewart did it in 2016.

A’ja Wilson, 48 fantasy points (May 8 vs. Seattle)

The top fantasy total of the 2022 campaign thus far fittingly belongs to the betting favorite for MVP. It appears that Becky Hammon is cooking up something special in Las Vegas, and A’ja Wilson is a huge part of that recipe.

While much of the East Coast was sleeping on Sunday night, Wilson feasted on Seattle to the tune of 20 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks. She became just the 12th player in league history to do so, and the list of the first 11 is loaded with Hall of Famers.

Miscellaneous fantasy stat of the week

It’s always fun when something quirky happens, regardless of whether it means anything. Here, we celebrate the unique and bizarre stats as they relate to fantasy points.

Brittney Sykes’ defense has been trending up over recent years: After landing on the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2020 and following that up with First Team honors in 2021, she won the WNBL’s Defensive Player of the Year award in Australia in March.

It was that defense that allowed Sykes to log 31 ESPN fantasy points without even reaching double figures in the scoring column. Her four steals and two blocks helped lead the Sparks to an overtime win and gave her a great overall stat line despite just nine actual points.

Brittney Sykes ridiculous help blocks to start the season, a W tradition unlike any other pic.twitter.com/seLTPjMMkN

— Gabe Ibrahim (@gabe_ibrahim) May 7, 2022

In thousands of player games last season, that only happened eight times. Don’t be shocked, however, if Sykes pulls it off again at some point.

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.

The 2025 WNBA season is finally here, with Friday's official tip-off leading an opening weekend full of tough competition and simmering storylines.

The reigning champion New York Liberty enter as odds-on favorites, but results are nearly impossible to predict after a very active offseason across the league.

This weekend's slate features new builds, regional rivalries, and plenty of fresh faces as top 2025 draft picks log their first pro minutes.

• Minnesota Lynx vs. Dallas Wings, Friday at 7:30 PM ET (ION): This year's No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers makes her official WNBA debut as revamped Dallas tests itself against a Minnesota team still stinging over last year's title loss.

• Los Angeles Sparks vs. Golden State Valkyries, Friday at 10 PM ET (ION): The Valkyries play their first-ever regular-season game, looking to form an identity against downstate rivals LA, led by new Sparks addition Kelsey Plum.

• Las Vegas Aces vs. New York Liberty, Saturday at 1 PM ET (ABC): The 2023 champs meet the 2024 title-winners in a heavyweight clash that sees 2024 MVP A'ja Wilson take on a confident New York team led by guard Sabrina Ionescu.

• Chicago Sky vs. Indiana Fever, Saturday at 3 PM ET (ABC): Last year's rookie headliners Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese meet again in Indiana, with the regional rivals relying on both incoming vets and young cores to write their next chapters.

Packed with great matchups, this weekend is the ideal tip-off for a 2025 season that promises to be a wild ride — no matter which WNBA team you follow.

The NWSL is back in action this weekend with a top-table match, a bicoastal battle, and some middle-of-the-pack clashes as the 2025 season enters its ninth matchday.

Parity is riding high these days, with just three points dividing the No. 1 Kansas City Current and No. 3 Washington Spirit in the NWSL standings — while only three more separate the No. 4 San Diego Wave from the No. 8 Seattle Reign.

With competition remaining tough as nails, don't expect much more daylight between teams following this weekend's tense lineup:

• No. 7 Gotham FC vs. No. 4 San Diego Wave, Friday at 7:30 PM ET (NWSL+): Coming off a two-game winless streak, Gotham is still searching for consistency as they take on a confident San Diego side that hasn't lost in four games.

• No. 9 Racing Louisville vs. No. 8 Seattle Reign, Friday at 7:30 PM ET (NWSL+): All tied up with 11 points each, Seattle will look to hold off Louisville as Racing continues to hunt the club's first-ever playoff berth.

• No. 2 Orlando Pride vs. No. 1 Kansas City Current, Friday at 8 PM ET (Prime): There's little love lost between these NWSL titans, as the reigning champion Pride takes on hosting duties in an attempt to leapfrog current top-dog Kansas City in Friday's marquee match.

In a season dominated by topsy-turvy results, the pressure to secure points week-over-week weighs heaviest on the teams who know they have the talent to rise above the rest.

This season's NWSL Golden Boot leader Esther González is sticking with Gotham, with the Spanish international extending her contract with the NJ/NY club through 2027.

After helping Gotham to a first-ever NWSL championship in 2023, González earned the league's Best XI Second Team honors last year before launching a red-hot campaign this season.

The 2023 World Cup winner has tallied seven goals in nine games for Gotham in 2025, showcasing a blistering rush of form that has her sitting two goals ahead of the next Golden Boot race contender.

"Above all, it's about how I've felt during these two and a half years with Gotham FC," González said in Thursday's team announcement. "Continuing to be happy both on and off the field is really important. To keep enjoying myself and representing Gotham's colors, which I truly identify with, is something really incredible."

Gotham's continued investment underlines the 32-year-old's case for 2025 MVP candidacy, as award frontrunners start to emerge one-third of the way through the 2025 NWSL season.

González leads the NWSL in shots on target while sitting fourth in expected goals per 90 minutes, with her scoring outpacing many of her peers.

Other players crafting strong 2025 NWSL MVP resumes include Kansas City's 2024 MVP Temwa Chawinga and comeback star Debinha, Angel City wunderkind Alyssa Thompson, and Orlando sharpshooter Barbra Banda.

Following a dominant 2024/25 campaign, Chelsea FC will look to cap their historic run by completing a domestic treble on Sunday, when they'll battle Manchester United for a third season trophy in the 2025 FA Cup final.

After securing the 2024/25 League Cup in March amidst an unbeaten run to a sixth-straight WSL title, the Blues will close out their season against the league's third-place finishers, the Red Devils, in London's iconic Wembley Stadium.

Should Chelsea secure the 2025 FA Cup, they will add a second domestic treble to their resume after clinching their first trio of trophies in the 2020/21 season. This time, however, they could do so in undefeated fashion.

"We are in a really good place, just the fact that we won the league being unbeaten," said first-year Blues manager Sonia Bompastor. "To end the season with an FA Cup final at Wembley against Man United is maybe the perfect way to end the season."

Manchester United hunts second straight FA Cup trophy

Standing between Chelsea and the treble are 2024 FA Cup champions Manchester United, who will take aim at their only trophy of the season partly behind the play of 2024/25 WSL Golden Glove winner and USWNT goalkeeper prospect Phallon Tullis-Joyce.

Man United enter as the game's undisputed underdogs, having dropped both their WSL regular-season matches against Chelsea in narrow 1-0 defeats.

Even more, the Red Devils must overcome a particular tough stretch of play, facing more than a month without a victory on their schedule.

Man United's last win was their 2-0 FA Cup semifinal victory over Manchester City on April 13th, with the Red Devils suffering a pair of losses and recording two draws to close out WSL play.

That said, United has experience downing the Blues on the FA Cup stage, ousting Chelsea from last year's semifinals en route to a club-first FA title.

Remarking that Manchester United "are a really strong team," Bompastor pointed out that the Red Devils "don't concede a lot of goals, and we need to remember that."

"You only get the trophy if you win, so we need to make sure going into the game we have the best preparation and we perform on the day."

How to watch Chelsea play Manchester United at the FA Cup final

The 2025 FA Cup final between Chelsea FC and Manchester United will kick off at 8:30 AM ET on Sunday.

Live coverage of the match will begin at 8:20 AM ET on ESPN+.