2026 WNBA Awards Odds Watch & Rankings: Salaün Surges Case for Sixth Player of Year
The WNBA awards races continue to tighten as the Commissioner’s Cup final arrives and the regular-season standings begin to separate. A’ja Wilson still has the strongest overall case in the league, but Golden State’s climb has changed the Sixth Player race, while Paige Bueckers has pushed into the MVP top three.
This is the sixth installment of a weekly awards watch that will run through the regular season. The rankings are based on current player production, team performance and league context, using WNBA.com and ESPN power rankings, the latest statistical leaders and current injury reports.
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2026 WNBA MVP Power Rankings
- A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Wilson keeps the top spot because her statistical case is still the best in the league. She leads the WNBA in scoring at 25.7 points per game, ranks fourth in rebounding at 9.4 per game and is tied for the league lead at 2.0 blocks per contest. She is also shooting 52.4% from the field and 40.9% from three, which gives her a rare combination of volume, efficiency and defensive impact.
The only caveat is her health is listed as day-to-day after rolling her ankle against Chicago on Sunday, but she returned to that game and still finished with 30 points and 15 rebounds. Unless the injury lingers, she remains the clear MVP leader.
- Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever
Clark stays at No. 2 because her offensive profile remains too strong to ignore. She is averaging 21.2 points and 8.2 assists per game, keeping her among the league leaders in both scoring and playmaking. Indiana’s team context also still helps. The Fever are 11-8, seventh in WNBA.com’s power rankings and lead the league in scoring at 93.9 points per game. Clark missed Indiana’s most recent game with a back injury, but Fever coach Stephanie White indicated that the guard is not expected to miss much time.
- Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
Bueckers replaces Rhyne Howard in the top three this week because of her efficiency. She is averaging 19.9 points, 5.9 assists and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 51.3% from the field and 39.3% from three, an elite offensive profile. Dallas has dropped two straight games, but the Wings are still 11-8 and sixth in the WNBA.com power rankings. Bueckers also had 27 points in Dallas’ overtime win over Seattle, continuing a strong individual season. Howard remains close, but Atlanta’s three-game slide weakens the team-context edge she had last week.
2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Power Rankings
- A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Wilson remains the Defensive Player of the Year leader because she still has the most complete defensive case. She is tied for the league lead in blocks, ranks among the top rebounders and adds 1.6 steals per game. Her rim protection is central to Las Vegas’ defensive identity, and her overall two-way value still separates her from the rest of the field.
- Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream
Howard stays at No. 2 because she remains the league’s top steals threat. She is averaging a WNBA-best 2.5 steals per game, and Atlanta still leads the league in steals as a team at 9.4 per game. That makes her defensive case more than just an individual stat line as her pressure fits the Dream’s identity. Atlanta’s recent three-game losing streak keeps this from being a stronger push for the top spot, but Howard’s defensive production still gives her and edge.
- Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream
Reese holds the final spot because her rebounding dominance She leads the league at 11.6 rebounds per game and has already recorded 12 double-doubles. She also adds 1.5 steals per game, giving Atlanta another disruptive defender. Portland’s Emily Engstler remains close because she is tied with Wilson at 2.0 blocks per game, but Engstler’s team context has slipped. The Fire are 8-12, have lost three straight and sit 13th in WNBA.com’s power rankings.
2026 WNBA Rookie of the Year Power Rankings
- Olivia Miles, Minnesota Lynx
Miles remains the clear Rookie of the Year leader. She is averaging 18.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 51.9% from the field, giving her the most complete rookie profile in the league.
The team context gives her even more separation. Minnesota is 15-4, No. 1 in WNBA.com’s power rankings, and has the best record in the league. Miles is producing at a high level for the WNBA’s top team, which keeps her comfortably ahead of the rest of the rookie class.
- Azzi Fudd, Dallas Wings
Fudd stays at No. 2 because of her scoring efficiency and defensive activity. She is averaging 13.6 points while shooting 48.5% from the field and 38.4% from three. She also adds 1.8 steals and 1.1 blocks per game, making her case more complete than just perimeter shooting. She scored a career-best 26 points in Dallas’ overtime win over Seattle last week.
- Flau’jae Johnson, Seattle Storm
Johnson replaces Toronto’s Kiki Rice in the top three because her current two-way production is easier to support with this week’s numbers. She is averaging 12.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block per game. That all-around profile keeps her in the race despite Seattle’s poor record. The Storm are still near the bottom of the standings, but they finally have some positive momentum after back-to-back wins over New York and Atlanta.
Phoenix’s Jovana Nogić is no longer part of the race after the Mercury announced Monday she will miss the rest of the season for personal reasons.
2026 WNBA Sixth Player of the Year Power Rankings
- Janelle Salaün, Golden State Valkyries
Salaün keeps the top spot because Golden State’s team context has only strengthened her case. She is averaging 12.5 points and 4.2 rebounds while making 2.4 threes per game and shooting 37.5% from beyond the arc. She is also tied for third in the league in made threes with 48. The Valkyries are now 13-7, third in WNBA.com’s power rankings leads the WNBA in bench scoring at 34.3 points per game which makes Salaün’s production even more valuable in this race.
- Chennedy Carter, Las Vegas Aces
Carter stays at No. 2 because her efficiency remains elite, with her shooting 60.8% from the field, giving Las Vegas a highly efficient scoring option behind its starters. The Aces are also 14-5 and second in the league standings, so the winning context remains strong.
- Rae Burrell, Los Angeles Sparks
Burrell holds the third spot, averaging 11.9 points in 26.6 minutes per game, even as the team context is weak. The Sparks have lost four of their last five games and dropped to 10th in WNBA.com’s power rankings. Burrell remains on the board because her current production supports the case, but she will need either more team momentum or stronger individual separation to move higher.
Photo Credit: AP/Lindsey Wasson
