Which players are logging the most minutes?

One of the basic tenets of FNWSL is that you can’t score fantasy points if you’re not on the field. With the previous international breaks and the World Cup approaching, many of the highest-profile NWSL players have been (or will be) getting fewer minutes. You can maximize your FNWSL points by investing in players that are always on the field (and save some money). 

So who has been playing the most minutes? According to FBRef, 34 players have been on the field for all 540 minutes of the NWSL regular season so far. As would be expected, nine of the 12 starting goalkeepers across the league appear on this list. Of the remaining 25, here is the positional breakdown:

FW: 2 

MF: 4

DF: 19

The two forwards are Kerolin and Lynn Williams, both of which are well worth a roster spot regardless of minutes (especially Williams, who trails only Sophia Smith in total FNWSL points). 

The midfielders are a little more interesting, especially considering the relative difficulty of finding consistent production at your MF spots this season. The four midfielders that have played each minute so far are Portland’s Sam Coffey ($225k), OL Reign’s Jess Fishlock ($250k), North Carolina’s Denise O’Sullivan ($300k), and Gotham’s Allie Long ($125k). Coffey and Fishlock are always good FNWSL options, but this stat also reiterates the opportunity for fantasy value in Gotham’s midfield, especially if you’re committing lots of money to your forwards. 

Last year’s two FNWSL fantasy DF stalwarts, Tatumn Milazzo and Sam Staab, have continued to be lineup locks in 2023 and both appear on the list of 19 defenders that have played every minute so far. A few other notable DFs on the list include Houston’s Natalie Jacobs (only $75k on one of the best defenses in the NWSL) and Angel City’s Sarah Gorden, who played every minute of the 2021 season to become the Red Stars’ first ever Iron Woman. Here’s the full list: