Fantasy women's hoops: Breakouts, surprises and more tips to remember for next year

The 2026 WNBA regular season gave fantasy managers plenty to remember before next year's drafts. Several players broke out, young stars took another step forward and offseason moves changed fantasy value in a big way.

By the time 2027 draft season arrives, some of those lessons will be easy to forget. Here are 10 things worth keeping in mind for next season.

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Olivia Miles has become a fantasy superstar

Miles has exceeded expectations in her rookie season. She has averaged 19.8 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 6.0 APG and 1.3 SPG while posting a team-high 26.5% usage rate among players who appeared in at least 10 games. Miles is currently a top-10 player in fantasy hoops, averaging 35.8 fantasy points per game and outperforming her Round 4 average draft position. She also recently broke Caitlin Clark's rookie scoring record. The odds-on favorite for 2026 Rookie of the Year should be a top-10 pick in in 2027.

Jessica Shepard's breakout looks sustainable

Shepard enjoyed a breakout season with the Dallas Wings, with averages of 14.3 points and 11.1 rebounds while earning her first All-Star selection. She finished as a top-15 fantasy option and joined Candace Parker as the only players in WNBA history to average at least 14 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a season. Shepard also tied for the league lead with five triple-doubles while helping Dallas reach the playoffs. She was available near the end of many drafts and ultimately became a league-winner because of her production.

Dominique Malonga could make another leap

Malonga took a huge step forward in her second season, tallying 17.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 1.0 steals and 33.0 fantasy points per game while earning her first All-Star selection. She also became the youngest player in league history to reach 500 career rebounds. At just 20 years old, Malonga already offers strong scoring, rebounding and defensive production. Another jump in 2027 could push her firmly into the early-round fantasy conversation.

Shakira Austin has finally put everything together

Austin averaged 17.2 PPG, 9.5 RPG and 1.3 BPG with 20 double-doubles this season while helping Washington return to the playoffs. She finished as a top-12 fantasy player at 33.7 fantasy points per game after being a mid-round draft value. Most encouragingly, Austin's usage declined from 28.3% to 26.0% while her production soared. That makes her breakout season look sustainable entering 2027.

Angel Reese's fantasy ceiling goes beyond rebounding

Reese took a major step forward in 2026, averaging 16.4 points and 12.1 rebounds while shooting 45.1% from the field. She also set a WNBA single-season record with 32 double-doubles and became the first player in league history with 500 rebounds in a season. For 2027, fantasy managers shouldn't view Reese as just a rebounding specialist. Her improving scoring efficiency and defensive production give her an even higher fantasy ceiling. Only A'ja Wilson, Clark and Breanna Stewart averaged more fantasy points per game this season.

Leila Lacan grows across the board

Lacan continued to expand her role in 2026, increasing her games started from 15 to 29, minutes from 26.6 to 28.4 per game, scoring from 10.4 to 11.7 PPG and assists from 3.7 to 4.5 APG. Her 3-point percentage also leaped from .224 to .327, a significant increase. For 2027, fantasy managers should keep tracking young players whose roles and offensive responsibilities are still growing.

Azzi Fudd could be a strong bounce-back target in 2027

Don't forget how good she was before the injury. Fudd averaged 13.1 points, 2.1 3-pointers, 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks in 30 games before season-ending right knee surgery. More importantly, she led all rookies in threes, steals and blocks per game while shooting 39.7% from deep. If healthy, that multi-category production could make the 2026 No. 1 WNBA draft pick an intriguing 2027 fantasy target.

The offseason can create some of the biggest fantasy risers

The offseason can completely reshape fantasy value. Shepard became a full-time starter after signing with the Wings and set career highs across the board. Marina Mabrey went from 14.4 PPG with the Connecticut Sun in 2025 to 20.8 with the Toronto Tempo, while Carla Leite jumped from 7.2 PPG and 2.0 APG to 15.9 PPG and 6.3 APG after landing with the Portland Fire. Gabby Williams also increased her scoring from 11.6 PPG to 14.4 after signing with the Golden State Valkyries. For 2027, don't simply carry over your final rankings. Track roster movement, depth charts, projected minutes and usage.

Rickea Jackson could be one of 2027's biggest draft day values

Jackson tore her left ACL on May 17 and missed the rest of the season, so her recovery will be worth watching closely next spring. Her preseason workload and how she looks physically could swing her draft value quite a bit. If she's healthy and close to full strength, Jackson (who was drafted in the sixth round this past season) could become one of the better values in fantasy drafts.

Sonia Citron showed how much a young player can grow in Year 2

Don't assume a strong rookie season is the ceiling. Citron followed an impressive rookie year by increasing her scoring from 14.9 to 16.7 PPG and her assists from 2.4 to 4.4 APG, despite only a slight increase in minutes. She also got to the line much more often, upping her free throws per game from 3.4 to 5.4. For 2027, remember that young players can make significant fantasy jumps even without a major change in playing time.