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WNBA daily fantasy preview: Minnesota Lynx

Eric Thiel|
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 10: Sylvia Fowles #34 of the Minnesota Lynx poses for a portrait on April 10, 2019 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 10: Sylvia Fowles #34 of the Minnesota Lynx poses for a portrait on April 10, 2019 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)

A Whole New Team

The Minnesota Lynx are one of the teams who have changed the most. Maya Moore decided not to play this WNBA season. This is a huge blow to not only the team, but also the league as a whole. The Lynx were very active in trades and free agency this year, bringing in a new cast of supporters to their other superstar, Sylvia Fowles. As well, the departure of Lindsay Whalen opens some minutes up in the backcourt. Let’s take a look at the Lynx through a DFS lens.

Last Year’s Stats… Useful?

In this spot, I normally go through team statistics, such as net rating, defense, and pace, but because of the high turnover for this team, I do not think those statistics will predict this year’s team statistics. The one area which may remain the same is pace. The Lynx were one of the slowest teams in the WNBA, with 78.5 possessions per game. It seems as though, through their offseason moves, the Lynx are trying to get younger, faster, and more modern in their style of play, so it will be interesting to see if Cheryl Reeve allows the new players freedom to push the pace.

A defense anchored by Sylvia Fowles will always have a high floor and ceiling. Teams’ two point and free throw numbers were way down against the Lynx, owing to Fowles’ defensive prowess. She is one of the best defenders in the league.

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Additions and Changes

Last year, the Lynx ended with starting Whalen – Cecilia Zandalasini – Seimone Augustus – Moore – Fowles, as Brunson was injured to end the year. Brunson did log a lot of minutes last year, and is starting 2019 unsigned as she works back from a concussion.

Sylvia Fowles is one of the best players in WNBA DFS. She produces at a 1.2 fantasy points per minute, which is incredible, and only a select few have a higher fantasy points per minute than she does.

Augustus produced at 0.67 fpm, but could be in for a usage bump without Maya Moore in the fold. The other three spots are really anyone’s guess. Danielle Robinson played great off the bench (and even started a few games) at the point guard position, accruing 0.75 fpm along the way. The new additions of Karima Christmas-Kelly, Damiris Dantas, Lexie Brown, Odyssey Sims and Napheesa Collier all provide the Lynx with a new look.

In a small sample last year, both KCK and Dantas provided about 0.75 fpm, which is certainly playable if given enough minutes. Sims produced 0.61 fpm, but also played on a team with Candace Parker, Nneka Ogwumike, and Chelsea Gray. She certainly could have more opportunities handling the ball with the Lynx. Brown and Collier are mostly unknowns, with Brown only playing 120 minutes with the Sun last year.

Increased Opportunities

All in all, this really is a completely different team. It appears as though they are trying to get more and more modern, and provide three point shooting to create space for Fowles inside. Lexie Brown has shown a willingness to shoot the three, and Karima Christmas-Kelly has recently added that element into her own game. All of this shooting will be key, especially if Danielle Robinson is chosen to run the point. Though Robinson is a great passer and driver, her outside shooting game has never been a strength, though the Lynx are confident that will change in 2019.

As well, Augustus lives in the mid range, clogging up the spacing even more. However she has recently shown a tendency to stretch to the three-point line. Odyssey Sims could be the wild card. I, myself, think she can handle a true point guard role, but Reeve may not. If she does move into that role, she will be a DFS star. Initiating the pick-and-roll with Sylvia Fowles is a great place to find yourself in terms of getting fantasy points.

Draft Day

The top draft pick for the Lynx was Napheesa Collier out of Connecticut. She averaged 16-7-3, and is said to be one of the best defenders in the draft. In her junior year, she was a first team All American. Her senior year was not as impressive, but I still have very high hopes, especially if she can stretch to the three-point line. She took just under two per game at Connecticut, but despite this, was a very efficient scorer. I definitely believe she could step in and be a contributor in real life and in DFS.

All in all, this is a completely new Lynx team. Fowles and Augustus are really the only mainstays, and as a DFS player, we will have to figure out the rotation and style of play just like Cheryl Reeve will. For the first two to three weeks, the prices of the players who get starting nods may be lower than they should be because of the uncertainty coming into the season. This is a great edge to exploit, and these new Lynx players could be in a lot of winning lineups. As well, if you missed it, or just want a refresher, the DFS Primer is linked below.

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