The first week of real basketball changed everything in our 2026 WNBA Rookie of the Year Power Rankings.
Three players from our preseason WNBA Rookie of the Year power rankings have already fallen off the board.
Two new names have forced their way in. And one rookie has turned herself into the most dominant favorite in this race since Caitlin Clark.
Here are the Week 2 Crush & Rush News 2026 WNBA Rookie of the Year Power Rankings.
1. Olivia Miles, Minnesota Lynx (-155) | LAST WEEK: #2 (UP 1)
Olivia Miles is no longer just the favorite. She’s now a massive betting favorite.
The Minnesota Lynx’s top pick is averaging 17.0 points and 7.5 assists per game through two games, leading all rookies in both categories while logging nearly 30 minutes a night for Minnesota.
The triple-double threat is real. The playmaking is pro-ready. And the market moved her from +260 all the way to -155 in one week.
That kind of odds movement doesn’t happen without a reason.
2. Flau’jae Johnson, Seattle Storm (+550) | LAST WEEK: #3 (UP 1)
The situation in Seattle is exactly what we projected, and Flau’jae Johnson is delivering.
She’s averaging 11.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game with 28 minutes a night on a rebuilding Seattle Storm squad that has no one to take the ball out of her hands.
The 27.6 percent field goal mark needs to improve, but three games is far too early to panic about efficiency.
Volume and opportunity are locked in. If the efficiency catches up, she’s the best bet on this board.
3. Pauline Astier, New York Liberty (+1200) | LAST WEEK: NR (NEW)
Nobody saw this coming, but Pauline Astier’s numbers are impossible to ignore.
The 24-year-old French guard is averaging 15.7 points, 4.7 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game on 64.3 percent shooting through three games while filling in for injured Sabrina Ionescu in the New York Liberty starting lineup.
She joined Paige Bueckers and Candace Parker as the only rookies in WNBA history to record at least 18 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and two steals while shooting 60 percent in a game.
Both of those players won Rookie of the Year.
The concern is real, though. When Ionescu returns from her foot injury, Astier’s role may shrink considerably. Enjoy the production while it lasts, but keep that in mind before betting the +1200.
4. Jovana Nogic, Phoenix Mercury (+1800) | LAST WEEK: NR (NEW)
Jovana Nogic is the most efficient scorer in the rookie class right now, and she’s barely on anyone’s radar.
The Phoenix rookie is averaging 12.3 points per game on 50 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from three through three games.
Phoenix is struggling, which limits her upside on awards, but 12 points a night on those efficiency numbers forces the conversation. At +1800, she’s the most overlooked name on this board.
5. Gabriela Jaquez, Chicago Sky (+5000) | LAST WEEK: NR (NEW)
Gabriela Jaquez is the longest shot on the board, but the situation earns her a spot.
The UCLA product is averaging 8.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in 29 minutes for an undefeated Chicago Sky team, and she’s doing it efficiently on a squad with legitimate playoff ambitions.
Winning teams produce Rookie of the Year candidates. At +5000 she’s worth monitoring.
HONORABLE MENTION
Lauren Betts, Washington Mystics (+1800)
Lauren Betts was our preseason number one and has fallen to long-shot territory after logging just 15 minutes and 3.5 points per game in her first two regular-season outings.
The talent is still there, but Washington’s rotation decisions are working against her. She needs minutes before she needs anything else.
Azzi Fudd, Dallas Wings (+1000)
The number one pick crashed from +300 to +1000 in one week, and the market is right.
Azzi Fudd is playing 17 minutes a night as the third offensive option behind Paige Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale. She needs a role change and a clearer health status before she can re-enter this conversation seriously.
Awa Fam, Seattle Storm (+1000)
Awa Fam has yet to appear in the rookie stats sheet through the first week of the season.
The ceiling is still real, and Seattle’s rebuild still provides a clear path to minutes, but she cannot keep sitting while the race moves without her.
Georgia Amoore, Washington Mystics (+4000)
Georgia Amoore is quietly averaging 5.0 assists per game in just 21 minutes for Washington.
She’s shooting 27.3 percent from three, which is the main reason she isn’t higher. If the shot comes around, she’s worth a long look.
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