Weekly Threat Assessment: WNBA Fantasy Report

May 18 - Welcome, WNBA fans, to another season of the Triple Threat Fantasy Challenge. The Grand Prize is a trip for two to a WNBA Finals game, so don't forget to sign up. I'll be keeping you up to date on the week that was in the Triple Threat Fantasy Challenge and giving you some tips on what to look for in the week ahead. For the first week of the season, we'll review last year's top eight Triple Threat Performers and discuss their outlook for the 2006 season. As long as they are on the court, these players are likely going to be your top choices on a daily basis in 2006 as well. Listed are their combined total points, assists and rebounds from last year as well as their per-game combined averages.

WNBA.com Daily Expert Pick

Saturday, May 20th Tamika Catchings Indiana vs. Detroit

Sunday, May 21st Sheryl Swoopes Houston vs. San Ant.

Tuesday, May 23rd Lisa Leslie Los Angeles at Charlotte

Wednesday, May 24th Deanna Nolan Detroit at Minnesota

Lauren Jackson, Seattle Storm (967, 28.4): Jackson has been limited during the preseason with recurring shin problems, often sitting out of practices and exhibition games. This season, Storm coach Anne Donovan might be reducing Jackson's workload, which may put a crimp on the plentiful numbers that Jackson has put up during her WNBA career. Seattle opens the season against the Sparks Sunday night, and hosts Houston on ESPN2 on Tuesday. Tune in to see how much playing time Jackson is getting, as even with reduced minutes she should be more productive than all but a handful of players.

Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever (908, 26.7): Catchings does it all for Indiana, and she'll make the same impact for your Triple Threat entry. She joined Jackson as the only players last year to crack the nine-hundred mark in combined points, assists, and rebounds, leading the Fever in all three categories. Expect more of the same this season from Catchings, who has been a model of consistency throughout her career. If Lauren Jackson plays reduced minutes this season as rumored, don't be surprised if Catchings is listed first in these rankings next year. The Fever open the season at Detroit on Saturday and host San Antonio on Tuesday, but Catchings is a great option no matter who she is facing.

Chamique Holdsclaw, Los Angeles Sparks (888, 26.9) Holdsclaw is one of the most complete players in the WNBA and has been atop the scoring and rebounding leader boards. Playing alongside Lisa Leslie and Temeka Johnson, a true point guard capable of getting her the ball down low, Holdsclaw should be in for another All-Star season.

Sheryl Swoopes, Houston Comets (874, 26.5): Swoopes shows no sign of slowing down after leading the WNBA in scoring last season with 18.6 ppg. She also dished out 4.6 assists, which ranked 8th in the league, not too shabby for the league's leading scorer. The Comets open their season with a home game on Sunday against a San Antonio team that is supposed to be much-improved. Containing one of the greatest women's basketball players ever in Swoopes will be a good barometer for the Silver Stars.

Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks (852, 25.0) Leslie averaged 15.2 points and 7.3 rebounds in 2005, a career year for many, but the lowest averages in Leslie's storied career. The fact that she still ranked fifth in the Triple Threat rankings shows what kind of production Sparks's fans have been enjoying in the WNBA's first decade. The absence of Chamique Holdsclaw will put even more pressure on Leslie to carry the Sparks at the outset and prove that she isn't slowing down at age 33. She averaged 26.5 points and 11.0 boards in two preseason appearances, so the answer to that question might be a resounding negative. I'd look for Leslie to have a big game in Seattle on Sunday, as some of the Storm's frontcourt players have been slowed by injuries during the preseason and will have a tough time dealing with a motivated Leslie. Leslie is also a great choice on Tuesday night against Charlotte.

Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury (815, 24.7) Taurasi and the Paul Westhead offense are a perfect match, especially since the additions of Cappie Pondexter and Kelly Miller means that Taurasi will move back to her natural shooting guard position. This year she will able to concentrate on doing what she does best, which is putting the ball in the net. The opportunities should be plentiful this year thanks to Paul Ball, so expect Taurasi to challenge for the league scoring title and to have some monster games. She's been limited in the preseason with some nagging injuries, but is expected to be ready for the Mercury's nationally televised season opener against the defending champion Monarchs, Saturday afternoon on ABC at 4 p.m. ET.

Deanna Nolan, Detroit Shock (801, 24.3) Nolan knows the meaning of being a triple threat, as she was the only player in the WNBA to record a triple-double during the regular season last year. Nolan's scoring, rebounding, and assist averages have increased in every year of her career, and there's no reason to expect that trend to end this season. If that's the case, then Nolan will be recognized as one of the WNBA's elite players in the near future. Detroit travels to Indiana on Saturday, and hosts Minnesota on Wednesday, where the young Lynx lineup will have its hands full stopping Nolan.

Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Connecticut Sun (784, 23.0), McWilliams-Franklin has put up consistent numbers through her career, usually hovering around 13 points and seven rebounds per contest, with last years 13.9 ppg marking a career-high at age 34. Expect more of the same in 2006, with McWilliams-Franklin's name appearing in the lower reaches of the top ten in both scoring and rebounding. The Sun open their season on Saturday, hosting the rebuilding New York Liberty, and will travel to Minnesota on Tuesday for the first half of a WNBA doubleheader on ESPN2.

The next five from 2005:
Yolanda Griffith, Sacramento (744, 21.9)
Becky Hammon, New York (733, 21.6)
Nykesha Sales, Connecticut (730, 21.5)
Lindsay Whalen, Connecticut (711, 20.9)
Tie - Cheryl Ford, Detroit (661, 20.0)
Tie - Michelle Snow, Houston (661, 20.0)