The league returned to action last week with a series of lopsided outcomes. Of the 13 games played around the WNBA, just one game finished with a margin below nine points.
With players regaining their legs after that month-plus Olympic intermission, rotations are likely to be refined for this upcoming week of action. In this week ahead, let's keep a closer eye on any fluctuations in roles regarding minutes and shot diets, such as the recent surge in exposure and usage for Phoenix Mercury guard Sophie Cunningham. The emergent Mercury talent lived up to last week's streaming endorsement, having just delivered a rousing double-double performance to close out the weekend.
Looking at the schedule for the week ahead, the league is dormant on Monday, followed by multiple games played in five of the next six days. With an eye on finding some of the better interim additions for this coming week in WNBA, the selection of streaming candidates below factors in recent rotation, production and usage trends, as well as looming matchup metrics. Players are listed in order of preference.
Maddy Siegrist, F, Dallas Wings (Rostered in 23.7% of ESPN Leagues)
Securing Siegrist could serve your fantasy roster positively in both short and long-term regards. The gifted scoring guard suffered a broken finger back in June, but has recently been cleared for contact and appears likely to return for Thursday's tilt against the New York Liberty. While she'll likely be on a minutes limit that evening, it's worth remembering she was among the league-leaders in minutes and was proving efficient as a high-end scorer even with her 3-point shot not falling to open the season. With positive regression due for her production beyond the arc and a likely return to top form in the coming games, Siegrist is the top addition of the week in all formats.
Jordin Canada, G, Atlanta Dream (68.6%)
A top target for those in shallower formats, Canada would likely be universally rostered if not for playing just three games prior to the Olympic break due to an injury. Back at full force, Canada has lofted 10 shots in consecutive games and could erupt this week thanks to two games against the Mercury, a team allowing nearly 109 points per 100 possessions the past 10 games, which ranks second-to-last in the league during that sample.
Tyasha Harris, G, Connecticut Sun (30.2%)
The former No. 7 overall pick of the Wings didn't top 19.6 minutes per game in any of her first four seasons in the league, but has vaulted to a major role for the second-seeded Sun in her fifth campaign, netting a career-best 30.5 minutes per game. This significant leap has led to peaks in points, steals, assists, and 3-point production. Harris enters the week with an active three game double-digit scoring streak, one that could extend with upcoming matchups against the porous defenses of the Los Angeles Sparks and Chicago Sky. Both teams are in the bottom third of the league in defensive rating the past 10 games and struggle to contain shifty perimeter guards such as Harris.
Kia Nurse, G, Los Angeles Sparks (13.6%)
It's helpful to those in deeper formats to include a widely-available talent such as Nurse, a player who, like Harris, enters this week with three straight games scoring at least 10 points. Unlike Harris, Nurse hasn't played heavy minutes for much of the season, although a recent rise in playing time speaks to the rotational shifts we need to recognize to maximize our streaming decisions. Nurse has topped 20 minutes in each of the three games since the league resumed action after regularly hovering around 10 to 15 minutes in the first month of the campaign. With increased trust and resulting production, Nurse should be busy as a key guard for a Sparks team that while poor on defense, also pushes the ball with the fifth-highest pace over the past 10 games. Teammate Crystal Dangerfield (3.0%) has also proved productive in recent games.