Leila Lacan leads ESPN’s WNBA fantasy adds before All-Star break
ESPN Fantasy says managers have two WNBA game days to work before the All-Star pause, with four guards standing out on the waiver wire.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Leila Lacan is still sitting below the 50% roster mark in ESPN leagues, and ESPN Fantasy analyst André Snellings says that makes her a priority add before the WNBA All-Star break.
The league’s break begins Thursday and runs through the end of the week, according to ESPN Fantasy. There are no games Tuesday, leaving Monday and Wednesday as the only WNBA game days before the pause.
Snellings noted that the schedule is busy on both available days, with four matchups Monday and six more Wednesday. ESPN Fantasy also said this fantasy scoring period will stretch for two weeks, through Sunday, Aug. 2.
That puts the focus on short-term production, and Snellings pointed to four players who may still be available in many ESPN leagues: Lacan, Rae Burrell, Sydney Taylor and Sarah Ashlee Barker.
Lacan keeps forcing the issue
Lacan, a guard for the Connecticut Sun, is rostered in 41.2% of ESPN leagues, according to ESPN Fantasy. Snellings wrote that she should remain on waiver lists until her roster rate clears 50%.
Her latest case was loud. ESPN Fantasy said Lacan posted 26 points, five assists, four rebounds, two steals and one block Friday. Snellings added that she has performed like a fantasy starter for nearly a month.
The Sun play Wednesday, giving fantasy managers one more chance to use Lacan before the league goes quiet for the break.
Burrell’s starting role has stuck
Los Angeles Sparks guard Rae Burrell is rostered in 35.6% of ESPN leagues, according to ESPN Fantasy, and Snellings highlighted her recent grip on a starting job.
ESPN Fantasy said Burrell has moved in and out of the first five during the season, but has now started nine consecutive games. Across that stretch, she is averaging 14.7 points, 1.4 3-pointers and 1.1 steals per game, with additional assists and rebounds from the backcourt, according to Snellings.
The Sparks are also on Wednesday’s schedule.
Taylor is piling up points for Chicago
Chicago Sky guard Sydney Taylor is rostered in 21.6% of ESPN leagues, ESPN Fantasy reported, making her the least-rostered player among Snellings’ four recommendations.
Snellings pointed to a six-game scoring run: Taylor has reached at least 15 real points and 20 fantasy points in each of those games, according to ESPN Fantasy. Over that span, she is averaging 17.5 points and 2.5 3-pointers per game.
The Sky play Wednesday, giving Taylor the same pre-break appeal as the other highlighted guards.
Barker’s sophomore surge gets noticed
Sarah Ashlee Barker of the Portland Fire is rostered in 26.7% of ESPN leagues, according to ESPN Fantasy. Snellings described her season as a second-year breakout.
ESPN Fantasy said Barker has started her past 14 games while averaging 11.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 3-pointers per game. Snellings also cited her recent 21-point, four-rebound, four-assist outing, plus a 25-point, six-rebound, three-assist game in late June.
Portland plays Wednesday as well, which keeps Barker in the same useful window for fantasy managers trying to squeeze value out of the final game day before the All-Star break.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.