The WNBA kicked off its 28th season with four games tonight. Here is a look at every team’s roster and their projected starting lineup and rotation. Also, I compiled every injury in the WNBA, each team’s top fantasy players, and a projected order of finish.
2024 WNBA Guide: Projecting All 12 Teams Starting Lineups, Rotation, Injuries, Predictions, and Top Fantasy Players
Projected Final Standings
1. Las Vegas Aces
2. New York Liberty
3. Connecticut Sun
4. Atlanta Dream
5. Seattle Storm
6. Phoenix Mercury
7. Indiana Fever
8. Dallas Wings
9. Minnesota Lynx
10. Chicago Sky
11. Los Angeles Sparks
12. Washington Mystics
Las Vegas Aces
The Las Vegas Aces, the two-time defending WNBA champs, didn’t make any earth-shattering this offseason. The Aces return eight of their top 10 players from last year’s squad that won a WNBA record 34 games. The Aces brought in Emma Cannon, Megan Gustafson, and rookies Kate Martin and Dyaisha Fair.
Projected Starting Lineup
Kelsey Plum, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young, A’ja Wilson, and Kiah Stokes.
Second Unit
Sydney Colson, Alysha Clark, Megan Gustafson, Kiersten Bell, and Emma Cannon
End Of The Bench
Injuries
Gray is out for the Aces’ season-opener against Phoenix because she is rehabbing the foot injury she suffered during the WNBA Finals. With Gray being unavailable, Colson may get the starting nod. Colson started Las Vegas’ preseason game versus Puerto Rico.
Fantasy Basketball Stars
Wilson, Plum, Young, Gray
Others To Consider In Fantasy
Stokes and Gustafson
Current remaining cap space: $31,017
New York Liberty
New York set a franchise record with 32 victories last season. The Liberty also reached the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2002. The Liberty had to make some moves on Monday to get down to 11 players.
Like Las Vegas, New York kept its starting unit intact and returned seven of their top nine players.
Starting Lineup
Sabrina Ionescu, Courtney Vandersloot, Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton
Second Unit
Kayla Thornton, Nyara Sabally, Marquesha Davis, Kennedy Burke, Ivana Dojkić
End of Rotation
Fantasy Basketball Stars
Ionescu, Stewart, Jones, Laney-Hamilton
Others To Consider In Fantasy
Vandersloot, Thornton
Current remaining cap space: $30,521
Atlanta Dream
Atlanta improved its win total by five games under second-year head coach Tanisha Wright and finished fifth in the conference with a 19-21 record. The Dream made the playoffs for the first time in five seasons, though Dallas swept them in the opening round.
Atlanta made several moves this offseason. The Dream signed free agents Tina Charles, Nia Coffey, and Tina Charles and traded for Jordin Canada and Crystal Dangerfield.
Starting Lineup
Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Cheyne Parker, Tina Charles
Second Unit
Haley Jones, Aerial Powers, Nia Coffey, Naz Hillmon, Crystal Dangerfield
End of Bench
Laeticia Amihere, Lorela Cubaj
Injuries
Cubaj is not with the team as she is fulfilling her overseas obligations.
Canada is dealing with a hand injury and is questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Sparks.
Fantasy Stars
Canada, Howard, Parker, Gray, Charles
Others To Consider
Coffey
Remaining Salary Cap Space: $16,525
Chicago Sky
Chicago is in total rebuild mode. The Sky have a new coach in Teresa Weatherspoon and nine new faces, led by rookies Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso.
Starting Unit
Dana Evans, Marina Mabrey, Diamond DeShields, Elisabeth Williams
Second Unit
Lindsay Allen, Chennedy Carter, Michala Onyenere, Brianna Turner
End Of Bench
Kysre Gondrezick, Isabelle Harrison
Injuries
Harrison, who missed all of last season due to a knee injury, is listed as questionable for tomorrow’s season opener against Dallas.
Kamilla Cardoso suffered a shoulder injury during the preseason and is out until at least early June.
Fantasy Stars
Mabry, Reese
Other Fantasy Players To Consider
Carter, Cardoso (when healthy)
Current remaining cap space: $165,378
Connecticut Sun
Connecticut has won 25 games in each of the last three seasons and reached at least the WNBA semifinals in five consecutive campaigns. The Sun returned their core players—Alyssa Thomas, DeWanna Bonner, and Briona Jones—while adding Moriah Jefferson, Tiffany Mitchell, and Tyasha Harris.
Starting Unit
Moriah Jefferson, Tiffany Mitchell, DeWanna Bonner, Alyssa Thomas, Briona Jones
Second Unit
Tyasha Harris, DiJonai Carrington, Astou Ndour, Olivia Nelson-Ododa
End Of Bench
Injuries
Jefferson suffered an ankle injury during training camp and is questionable for tonight’s game against Indiana/
Fantasy Stars
Thomas, Bonner, Jones,
Other Fantasy Players To Consider
Jefferson, Mitchell, Carrington
Current remaining cap space: $11,559
Dallas Wings
Dallas is coming off its best season since the franchise moved from Tulsa. Last year, the Wings won 22 games and reached the conference semifinals. The Wings returned six of their top seven players from a season ago and added a first-round pick. However, Satou Sabally is out until mid-August as she recovers from shoulder surgery.
Starting Unit
Jacy Sheldon, Jaelyn Brown, Arike Ogunbowale, Natasha Howard, Teaira McCowan
Second Unit
Kalani Brown, Lou Lopez Sénéchal, Maddie Siegrist, Stephanie Soares, Sevgi Uzun
Injuries
Satou Sabally (out til mid-August)
Current remaining cap space: $44,365
Fantasy Stars
Ogunbowale, Howard, McCowan,
Other Fantasy Players
Kalani Brown
Current remaining cap space: $44,365
Indiana Fever
Indiana improved its win total to seven under first-year head coach Christie Sides. Still, the Fever missed the playoffs for the seventh straight season and haven’t won 15 games in a season since 2016. Kelsey Mitchell, NaLyssa Smith, and Aliyah Boston return, and the Fever brought in Katie Lou Samuelson and drafted Caitlin Clark with the No. 1 pick.
Starting Unit
Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, Katie Lou Samuelson, NaLyssa Smith, Aliyah Boston
SecondUnit
Kristy Wallace, Temi Fagbenle, Lexie Hull, Erica Wheeler, Grace Berger
End Of Bench
Celeste Taylor, Damiris Dantas, Victaria Saxton
Injuries
Mitchell is doubtful for tonight’s game against Connecticut with an ankle injury.
Dantas is suspended and dealing with a knee injury.
Fantasy Stars
Mitchell, Boston, Clark, Smith
Other Fantasy Players To Consider
Samuelson
Current remaining cap space: $24,218 (but that’s counting all 13 players)
Los Angeles Sparks
LA won 17 games in Curt Miller’s first season, which is the franchise’s most since 2019. However, the Sparks missed the playoffs for a third straight season.
The Sparks lost their best two players from a season ago during the offseason and three of their top five overall. This leaves them a mix of quality veterans and youngsters, including two top draft choices, Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson.
Starting Unit
Layshia Clarendon, Lexie Brown, Kia Nurse, Dearica Hamby, Cameron Brink
Second Unit
Rickea Jackson, Li Yueru, Zia Cooke, Aari McDonald, Stephanie Talbot
End Of Bench
Injuries
Azurá Stevens is not expected to be available until the end of June.
Fantasy Studs
Hamby, Brink
Other Fantasy Players To Consider
Jackson, Clarendon, Brown
Current remaining cap space: $159,558
Minnesota Lynx
Minnesota has suffered through two straight losing seasons, though the Lynx increased their win total from a season ago by five. The Lynx had a lot of player turnover this off-season, but they still have the core of Kayla McBride, Diamond Miller, and Napheesa Collier,
Starting Unit
Courtney Williams, Kayla McBride, Diamond Miller, Napheesa Collier, Alanna Smith
Second Unit
Bridget Carleton, Natisha Hiedeman,Taylor Soule, Cecilia Zandalasini, Olivia Epoupa
End Of Bench
Injuries
Dorka Juhász and Sika Koné are on the suspended list, though Kone could return soon.
Fantasy Studs
Collier, McBride, Williams
Other Fantasy Players
Miller
Current remaining cap space: $4,537 (but that’s while counting all 13 players)
Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix took major steps in upgrading its roster after setting a franchise record with 31 losses. The Mercury’s nine wins marked just the third time in their history that they have won fewer than 10 games.
Starting Unit
Natasha Cloud, Diana Taurasi, Kahleah Copper, Natasha Mack, Brittney Griner
Second Unit
Rebecca Allen, Sophie Cunningham, Mikiah Herbert Harrigan, Liz Dixon
End of The Bench
Morgan Bertsch (was cleared after returning from her overseas responsibilities and is considered day-to-day).
Injuries
Griner was diagnosed with a fractured toe on Sunday and is slated to be re-evaluated in the coming weeks.
Fantasy Studs
Cloud, Taurasi, Griner, Copper
Other Fantasy Players To Consider
Cunningham
Current remaining cap space: $1,010
Seattle Storm
Starting Unit
Skylar Diggins-Smith, Jewell Loyd, Jordan Horston, Nneka Ogwumike, Ezi Magbegor
Second Unit
Victoria Vivians, Mercedes Russell, Sami Whitcomb, Nika Mühl, Kiana Williams
End Of Bench
Fantasy Studs
Diggins-Smith, Loyd, Ogwumike, Magbegor
Current remaining cap space: $9,299
Washington Mystics
Washington is in year two under Eric Thibault, who took over for his father, Mike, following his retirement. Since winning the WNBA title in 2019, the Mystics have produced one winning season and lost in the first round in all three of their playoff appearances.
Starting Unit
Julie Vanloo, Brittney Sykes, Ariel Atkins, Myisha Hines-Allen, Shakira Austin
Second Unit
Karlie Samuelson, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Stefanie Dolson, Aaliyah Edwards, Emily Engstler
End Of Bench
Fantasy Studs
Brittney Sykes, Austin
Others To Consider Fantasy
Edwards, Vanloo
Current remaining cap space: $94,152
