Fantasy women's basketball: Kiki Iriellen trendt, Dominique Malonga falls

Change is the only thing you can always rely on in sport and life. While consistency is what fantasy managers strive for, the player can swing wildly over a long season.

The attempt to keep up with all heights and depths in 44 games and keep up for four months can feel overwhelming. Therefore, it makes things easier from week after week to break down the basis for what is currently important.

This is the goal of my Risers and Fallers column. It helps you to pursue impulse shifts after closing when you use insights that have been drawn directly from the fantasy metrics of ESPN.

Riser

Kiki Irafen, F, Washington Mystics (77.7% roster, +39.1)

The mystics have a surprisingly strong start this season, and Irafen have an immediate effect on the front square. The rookie played 28 or more minutes in each of her first three games and achieved at least 20 fantasy points in all- including one with 33.

In three games, Ireaven is connected to Paige Bueckers for the second most common PPG among the rookies, which only teammate Sonia Citron (14.7) left. With Jonquel Jones she is also sixth place in RPG (10.0) in the entire league. With this production, Ireaven has turned out to be a legitimate candidate for rookie of the year – and its increasing proportion of squad reflects this. It develops into a seasonal capital for fantasy managers.

Jessica Shepard, F, Minnesota Lynx (49.1% Rostered, +41.7)

Shepard has started a strong start this season. She played 29 or more minutes in two of the first three games of the Lynx and scored 24 or more fantasy points in both 24 or more. Shepard missed the 2024 season when he played overseas, an average of 8.1 ppg, 7.1 RPG and 3.2 APG with the lynx in 26.7 minutes in 2023. While she is coming from the bank this season, Shepard should continue to be important participants for personal reasons, especially with Dorka Juhász Out Out. The team currently leads them in rebounds and is a strong add if they need help in the striker/middle position.

Temi Fagbenle, C, Golden State Valkyries (51.7% Rostered, +43.6)

Fagbenle delivered for the Valkyries at the beginning of the season, logged 27 or more minutes and scored 23 or more fantasy points in back-to-back games. Fagbenle had a career best season with the fever of Indiana in 2024, while he shared the front court Aliyah Boston and Nalyssa Smith and scored 14.4 fantasy points per game in just 18.9 minutes.

Fagbenle's durability remains a question at the age of 32, especially after she had not played in the league from 2020 to 2023, but the Golden State squad offers her the opportunity to finally secure the consistent role that she has withdrawn for a large part of her career. If you need an F/C that can fill the status sheet across the board, Fagbenle is worth a serious look.

Tiffany Hayes, G, Golden State Valkyries (76.6% roster, +20.9)

Hayes retired for the 2024 season, started the Las Vegas Aces and won the sixth player of the year. Last year she scored 17.4 fantasy points in just 21.5 minutes per game. After signing the Valkyries in this low season, I expected that the experienced security guard played an important role in a back court without much experience – and that happened at the start of the season. Hayes fell 35 fantasy points in 30 minutes during the season start of Golden State on May 16.

She has to do a nose injury, but it doesn't seem to be serious. Fantasy managers who selected Hayes late in the designs or use may have landed one seasonal employee.

Faller

Dominique Malonga, C, Seattle Storm (39.6% Rostered, -19.3%)

Malonga entered the league with high expectations as number 2 of the overall election and had a strong international résumé and a rare combination of size. At the age of only 19 she was already a starter overseas and played for the French national team. But in her first two WNBA games she only registered a total of 11 minutes. Head coach Noelle Quinn attributed the low use to matchups and not to performance.

Seattle's Deep FrontCourt with Nneka Ogwumike, Ezi Magbegor, Alysha Clark and Li Yueru remains a hurdle. The good news? Malonga's long -term blanket remains sky high. It has currently failed in fantasy formats until its role grows and consistent minutes materialize.

Shakira Austin, C, Washington Mystics (41.0% enforced, -13.3%)

Austin has long been seen as a breakout candidate, but persistent injuries continue to derail their imaginative value. She played only 17 minutes this season and is now in the brain coating protocol after she has also dealt with a leg injury.

Austin was ejected in her string debut and came from the bank in both appearances. While she scored 24.0 fantasy points per game in just under 20 minutes last season, it is not worth it that she can prove that she is healthy and is integrated into a consistent role. Stefanie Dolson and Irafen are currently better fantasy options for mystics.