For the Los Angeles Sparks, the 2024 WNBA season has been more about developing their players than winning games. Los Angeles is in rebuilding mode, and while that doesn’t mean the Sparks don’t have talent on their roster, it does mean they will approach the final month of the season differently than teams competing for the playoffs.

Experienced fantasy basketball owners know that younger players tend to shine more in these situations. In the Sparks’ case, Cameron Brink, the No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft, had her rookie season end early due to a knee injury, but Rickea Jackson, who the Sparks selected No. 4, has gotten better and better as the year has gone on — and if she’s somehow available in your fantasy league, you should consider adding her.

Since Brink’s injury in mid-June, Jackson’s role has expanded and she’s once again more like the versatile forward she was in college. Over her last 10 games, Jackson is averaging 15.3 points (up from 11.9 on the season) on 13 field goal attempts (up from 9.9). She’s also playing a lot, averaging 32.7 minutes over that span.

That equates to 24 fantasy points per game in standard ESPN leagues, and while Jackson’s relatively poor defensive performance so far (0.5 steals and 0.2 blocks per game on the season) has kept her from establishing herself as a must-have player, her role on this year’s Sparks team seems solidified; she’s an important part of the team’s future and they’ll want to see her play as much as possible in the final stretch.

Cardoso finds a foothold in Chicago

Chicago Sky center Kamilla Cardoso is another rookie who has impressed recently, and while we mentioned her as a possible fantasy addition back in June, she’s looked like a completely different player since the Olympic break. In those four games, Cardoso averaged 13.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.8 defensive ratings, which equates to 26.3 fantasy points per game.

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What’s been most encouraging about Cardoso’s play of late, though, is her offensive efficiency. Since the pause, she’s knocked down an astonishing 71.4 percent of her shots from the field (a significant increase from 46.2 percent before the pause), a number that’s even more impressive considering she’s played Brittney Griner and the Phoenix Mercury twice. While field scoring may or may not impact players’ points depending on the league’s settings, Cardoso’s jump in efficiency is a great sign that she’s acclimated to the physicality of the WNBA, and there’s no reason the 6-foot-4 center shouldn’t be a highly efficient scorer once she’s fully acclimated.

Foul trouble continues to be Cardoso’s biggest enemy – as well as she has played since the Olympic break, she has committed 19 fouls in those four games – but that’s to be expected from a rookie center. The Sky have been more accurate in getting the ball to Cardoso in the box and she has been able to finish those plays better. She is ready for a strong finish to her rookie season as a full-time starter.

Hillmon fills a gap in Atlanta

If you’re playing in a deeper fantasy league, there aren’t as many players on the waiver list and potential additions and departures aren’t as obvious. However, if you’re in a streaming situation, consider picking up Hillmon if she’s available. The third-year forward’s play certainly isn’t spectacular, and with just 3.3 field goal attempts per game, she’s not going to stand out as a decisive fantasy player.

However, Hillmon has played a lot of minutes in four games since the Olympic break (31.4 per game), in part due to the injury to Cheyenne Parker-Tyus, who will miss at least the next two weeks with an ankle injury. The frontcourt duo of Parker-Tyus and Tina Charles have not played as well as the Dream had hoped, so Hillmon has been in the game as a limited-playing reserve. Since Parker-Tyus is injured, Hillmon has not had much competition for the starting position, as fellow forward Nia Coffey has had a disappointing season and Lorela Cubaj rarely reaches double-digit minutes for Atlanta.

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To be clear, Charles will be the one who benefits the most statistically. Hillmon’s willingness to play without the basketball is part of what appeals to Dream head coach Tanisha Wright, and she won’t take many shots away from Atlanta’s more frequently used players. It’s that complementary factor that makes her an easy bet for consistent minutes, and this late in the season when injuries are starting to pile up, sometimes that’s all a fantasy team can realistically ask for.

For the purposes of this article, “fantasy points” refers to ESPN fantasy league standard scoring, where points, 3-pointers, rebounds and assists are each worth one fantasy point and steals and blocks are each worth two fantasy points. All player and team statistics for the 2024 season are current through August 24.