Each day of the WNBA season, our team of fantasy and betting experts breaks down every game on the slate, making note of everything from injuries and lineup changes to recent trends and more.
Here's what to look for during today's slate:
Seattle Storm at Chicago Sky12 p.m. ET, Wintrust Arena, Chicago
Line: Sky -2.5 (Draftings Sportsbook)
Money line: Sky (-145), Storm (+125)
Total: 161.5
BPI Win%: Sky 59.9%
Ruled out: Mercedes Russell (head), Courtney Vandersloot (concussion)
Fantasy Need to Know: This will be a pivotal matchup between the No. 1 team in the league and the No. 3 team according to the standings. Both teams are entering this game on four-game win streaks, but the Storm have been dominant on their win streak with a 21.0 PPG differential during that span. The Sky will be without their star point guard Courtney Vandersloot as she is out with a concussion. She averages 6.2 assists per game this season, which is the second most in the league. Her facilitation and double-digit scoring average leave big shoes to fill in her absence.
Julie Allemand replaced Vandersloot as a starter in their last game and had a huge impact in their facilitation with 8 assists (available in 95.9% of leagues). She didn't just pass, though: She did a little of everything, tacking on 2 points, 2 blocks, 2 steals and a rebound. With Vandersloot out again, we can expect her to continue to get major minutes and be the team's primary facilitator, and she would be a good addition to any team looking for a guard to put up solid points.
There is more depth on the Sky that you can take advantage of for your fantasy team: the 31-year-old rookie Rebekah Gardner (available in 91.9% of leagues). She will also most likely get some more time on the floor with Vandersloot out. Gardner is a player who can fill up a box score averaging 8.9 PPG, 1.2 APG, 3.3 RPG, and 1.5 SPG. She's also the third-highest scoring rookie in the league and averaging the second-most SPG in the league.
The Storm roster features Breanna Stewart, Sue Bird, Jewell Loyd, and Ezi Magbegor all rostered in 82% or more of leagues, but one starter who is pretty widely available is Gabby Williams (available in 69.5% of leagues). Her scoring is down a bit over her last two games, but she always contributes in other ways. She only averages 6.7 PPG this season, but she also adds 5.0 RPG, 2.8 APG, and 1.4 SPG. -- Jenni LaCroix
Best bet: Storm +2.5 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
This is a tough call but I'm going to take the Storm to cover in this game. My reason is that the Chicago Sky are missing their star point guard and the Storm have covered in three of their last four games. -- LaCroix