As we approach the one-month mark of the WNBA season, two players who have yet to show their average draft placement in the fictional New York women’s basketball Sabrina Ionescu and Atlanta Rhyne Howard.
Going into Wednesday, Ionescu’s 32.6 fantasy points-per-game ranked 13th in the league while Howard’s 20.0 FPPG ranked 20th. So which star among fantasy managers should care more in the future?
Here’s Andre Snellings, Eric Moody and Liz Loza with more info on that.
loza:
I will always take the healthier player. Ionescu is recovering from a hamstring injury. While it doesn’t appear to be serious and she is expected to return to court next Friday, the soft tissue problems could linger. In addition, Howard’s production was more stable. She hasn’t had explosive weeks like Ionescu, but her shooting is more consistent. She has managed at least 12 goals in each game and has scored 5 consecutive double-digit goals. Ionescu’s cap is higher, but it also makes her output more volatile week to week.
Snelling: If I had to pick one, I would say I’m more interested in Howard as it seems Ionescu is adjusting to her new reality of finding her places to shine in a stacked team. Ionescu had two terrible shooting attempts in head-to-head matches against Sky, but beyond that, she averaged 24.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 4.0 APG, and 5.3 3PG in four Her most recent match. Howard has always been very solid all-round, but doesn’t seem to have the edge in Ionescu’s big game even though she doesn’t have to share the field with three future Hall of Famers.
Mood: I find myself more worried about Ionescu in New York because she’s surrounded by an incredibly talented squad. With stars like Breanna Stewart, Courtney Vanderloot And Jonquel Jones share the court, her fantasy production will waver. But don’t underestimate her potential for incredible performances, like her recent fantasy 57-point blast against Wings last Sunday. With that in mind, if your fantasy team is comprehensive, you’ll be better equipped to handle all the ups and downs Ionescu has to offer.
