The WNBA is a tough league, but as expansion teams and college games continue to grow, rookies have made an impact ahead of schedule than ever before. In 2023, I would recommend not drafting any rookies instead of the No. 1 draft pick Aliyah Boston, as it is difficult for rookies to get a roster. In 2024, I only recommend drafting a lottery pick (top 4) in the Fantasy League. But things have changed.
The draft class in 2024 is an outlier in previous history. Since the lottery was implemented in 2002, all four lottery picks have averaged more than 20 fantasy scores per game. But it's not just a lottery pick. The eight rookies in the 2024 class averaged 15 fantasy scores per game and were only behind the 2001 rookie class with the second-largest rookie game with a long history.
This year can be established last year. While no rookie could be an All-Star game or a record number outside of Paige Bueckers (ADP 11.4), it is possible for many first-rounders to develop a roster and contribute immediately.
Many teams holding a first-round pick in the 2025 draft need to be filled this season.
Including eight draft picks that didn’t make the playoffs last season (Chicago Sky, Dallas Wing, Los Angeles Sparks, Washington Mystics), two draft picks for the Connecticut Suns lost all five starters in the offseason, one draft pick is an expansion team, a Superman Valkyrie, a Golden State female car heart, and a team made up of the Sitster Storm team, one member, one member, one member, one member, and one member, the 2024 league.
These are five rookies with the best fantasy contributors throughout the season.
The Mystic lacks experience and depth in the defender position. Their only real veteran is Brittney Sykes. This opened up an opportunity for one of the four defenders they drafted this year, strengthening the starting role immediately.
Citron did it all in college, averaging 14.1 points, 5.4 rpg, 2.7 APG and 1.9 SPG in her high school season while also scoring a career-high 51 3-pointers.
Notre Dame’s Guards have had a lot of success in the WNBA, especially those in the top three in the draft. Here are each guards at Notre Dame, dating back to the top three draft picks in 2013.
These guards thrived because they played a role in a system that required them to be two-way players and have a high basketball IQ. The guards I mentioned above are players who have been improving throughout their college career and have been working hard to expand their games so when they get into the league, they are ready.
Jocyte is the first draft pick for the new expansion team and he is looking for someone to contribute immediately. Valkyries has only one player in the current roster, which is the usual starter of the previous team last season (Julie Vanloo). The rest of the team either stood out primarily from the bench or did not compete.
Jocyte already has professional experience; she started playing in the European League since she was 14, and in the 2024-25 European Women's Championship, she was the second-place scorer for Lyon Asvel, with an average of 12.1 ppg, 3.0 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.4 SPG and 1.6 3pg.
I think her game will be very well transferred to the WNBA. She reminds me of a lot of international rookie Leonie Fiebich, who was a great contributor to freedom last year. They both can play or guard and do everything on the court, including stretching the floor and hitting threes. No-position players like this perform well in the WNBA because they can be a nightmare in the showdown.
The Mystic lacked experience and depth in the defender position, and Amor was one of the best college point guards in the nation last season. In the 2024-25 season, she scored or assisted in 36.2 PPG, which is fourth in D1. In her fifth college season, she averaged 19.6 PPG, 6.9 APG, 2.3 RPG, 1.0 SPG, and 2.5 3pg.
Amoore's games can be translated into WNBA very well. When she was short she was quick and agile and could shoot lights from three, similar to Kelsey Plum. Amoore found ways to be effective even for larger defenders, with a deadly acceleration defender. Her pick and draft picks are also great, which is a great weapon in the WNBA, which allows her to get her teammates involved. While she may not have started the Mystic, she may be the sixth player on the bench during her rookie season.
Connecticut will have a new starting point in 2025 and trade Natasha Cloud as free in March. The river can be inserted into the starting lineup immediately. The 6-foot-1 defender is an excellent two-way player who can do it all. Last season, she was one of three players in college, with 100 assists, 50 steals and 40 blocks, as well as Juju Watkins and Sarah Strong. River averaged 11.9 points, 6.6 rpg, 3.8 APG, 1.6 SPG and 1.3 bpg in her senior season.
The size and length of the river gave her an advantage over the other guards entering the league. She is a Swiss Army knife that can do it all and play whatever role the team needs in that moment. Rivers’ game is reminiscent of Betnijah Laney-Hamilton; who is not a free star, but still a huge contributor. Rivers has the potential to be the leading scorer one night and lead the team to assist or rebound another night.
Morrow has a chance to start because the sun does not have the maximum depth in its forward position. However, the team did take Tina Charles, which could slightly affect Morrow's rebounding percentage.
Morrow is the double queen in college, earning 104 doubles in her career, twice the second largest in DI history. She also has 64 professional games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, the most for any player in the past 25 seasons. Not only is she awesome on the offense. She also earned an average of 2.5 SPG in 2024-25.
When Morrow was dominant in college, I thought her mentality, game style and hustle would be immediately transferred to the league. Morrow is used to playing with new teammates. After two seasons at DePaul, she moved to LSU, a school at the country’s toughest conference and competed with Angel Reese. Despite having an average double-digit double against a new team, against stronger opponents and future WNBA All-Stars, Morrow averaged a double in her first season with the Tigers in 2023-24, and she did it again in her high school season.
She is used to playing against WNBA caliber players. Although she is short, she has not stopped her work from being on the board. Her busyness and dedication to doing small things made her slight disadvantages disappear. She has endurance in each of each of her last three seasons in college, averaging over 32 minutes per game.