The fantasy women's basketball regular season is winding down and the playoffs are just about here. So which players have improved their fantasy value the most over the course of the 2023 WNBA season?
Our experts André Snellings, Eric Moody, Liz Loza and Jennifer LaCroix chime in with the players who have stood out to them.
Satou Sabally, F, Dallas Wings
It has to be Sabally for me. Sabally was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA draft, but had never started more than 14 games in her first three seasons as she battled injury. On May 30, Sabally was 27th in my rankings, which would be good for a fifth-round pick in six-team leagues. This season, Sabally has stayed healthy and is living up to her massive potential. Sabally has the seventh-highest fantasy scoring average in the league this season, and because she hasn't missed time she is fourth in the league in total fantasy points scored. Moving forward, she is clearly a first round prospect going into next season. -- Snellings
Jackie Young, G, Las Vegas Aces
Young has been a revelation this season. The former No. 1 overall pick from 2019, who averaged an impressive 15.9 points per game during her sophomore effort as a starter for the Aces, has regularly led her team in scoring this season, which is no small feat given the surrounding talent. Despite recording fewer minutes (down from 33.2 minutes per game in 2022 to 31.3 minutes per game in 2023), Young is managing a career-high 18.7 points per contest and a field goal percentage of 54.3, which is in the top 10 in the league. A top-10 fantasy producer (31.6 fantasy points per game), Young has far exceeded her third-round ADP (19th overall). She figures to shoot up draft boards in 2024. -- Loza
Alanna Smith, F, Chicago Sky
Smith is a top-30 fantasy player and has steadily risen in my rankings this season. An offseason of significant changes for the Sky led to Marina Mabrey, Kahleah Copper, Courtney Williams and Elizabeth Williams being projected as the team's top four players. Smith has the fourth most fantasy points on the team right now, just 31 points behind Williams. She has displayed an ability to take over games on the offensive and defensive end. Smith has averaged 24.6 fantasy points in 27.2 minutes per game. She'd be the frontrunner for the Most Improved Player Award if Satou Sabally wasn't in the middle of such an outstanding season. -- Moody
Brittney Sykes, G, Washington Mystics
Sykes has been valued throughout the league more for her defense than her offense, which makes sense given that she's been an All-Defensive selection the last three years. This season, however, she's shown us she is a two-way player. She's put up a career-best in PPG (14.4), APG (3.8) and 4.9 (RPG). She's also showed us she can step up when it matters, specifically when injuries have plagued the team. Since June 28, the first of three key injuries for the Mystics (Shakira Austin - hip), she has averaged nearly 18 PPG over that span and connected on 15 3-pointers. -- LaCroix