2026 WNBA Power Rankings: Golden State Takes Over No. 1 as Playoff Field Is Set
The WNBA playoff field is officially set, and the Golden State Valkyries have earned the top spot in our latest Crush & Rush News Power Rankings.
The Minnesota Lynx still owns the league’s best overall record at 31-9, but Golden State has been the better team lately.
The Valkyries are 8-2 over their last 10, have won four straight, and have picked up four wins over playoff teams during that stretch.
The Dallas Wings are surging, the Atlanta Dream continues to climb, and the Las Vegas Aces remain firmly in the championship conversation.
Here are the latest Crush & Rush News WNBA Power Rankings heading out of the break.
Crush & Rush Preseason Rankings vs. Current Power Rankings
Before the season began, we laid out how all 15 WNBA teams stacked up heading into 2026. Now that the playoff field is set, here is how those preseason rankings compare to where each team stands in our latest Crush & Rush News Power Rankings.
1. Golden State Valkyries ↑1
The Golden State Valkyries have earned the top spot.
Golden State is 8-2 over its last 10 games, and that run includes four wins over playoff teams. The Valkyries beat Dallas twice, knocked off Minnesota on the road, and went into New York and beat the Liberty by 19.
That Minnesota win matters most. The Lynx still own the best record in the WNBA, but Golden State beat them 80-66 on their home floor during this stretch.
The Valkyries have also been dominant defensively, posting a 91.9 defensive rating since our last rankings update.
Minnesota has owned the top spot for most of the season, but right now, Golden State is playing the best basketball in the WNBA.
2. Minnesota Lynx ↓1
The Minnesota Lynx finally give up the top spot.
The Lynx still own the league’s best record at 31-9, and nothing about this move changes the fact that Minnesota remains one of the clear championship favorites.
But the Lynx went 2-2 during our latest evaluation window and posted a slightly negative net rating.
They also lost at home to Golden State, which was enough to break the tie at the top for us.
Minnesota is still elite. Golden State has simply been better lately.
3. Atlanta Dream ↑3
The Atlanta Dream is rolling.
The Dream went 5-1 during the latest stretch and posted a terrific +11.3 net rating.
Atlanta also produced a 115.6 offensive rating while continuing to defend and rebound well enough to make life difficult for almost anybody.
The Dream looked like one of several teams packed together in the middle of the playoff field two weeks ago.
Not anymore, because Rhyne Howard and Angel Reese have been dominating everyone they’ve faced since Aug 17.
Atlanta has separated itself.
4. Dallas Wings ↑4
The Dallas Wings are the biggest mover in this edition.
The Wings went 4-1 and posted a league-best +16.0 net rating during the latest stretch.
Their 114.9 offensive rating was excellent, but the bigger story might be a 99.0 defensive rating.
Dallas had fallen to No. 8 in our last rankings because injuries had taken a toll and the team was struggling to maintain its earlier form.
That slide appears to be over.
The Wings have won four straight and are once again looking like a team nobody will want to deal with in the postseason.
5. Las Vegas Aces ↓1
There is nothing wrong with the Las Vegas Aces.
The Aces went 3-1 during the latest stretch and posted an impressive +11.0 net rating.
They are 27-13 overall, have won three straight, and still have A’ja Wilson.
That last part matters.
Las Vegas drops one spot only because Atlanta and Dallas have been even hotter.
The defending champions remain dangerous.
6. Indiana Fever ↓3
The Indiana Fever continues to be an offensive machine.
The Fever posted a 122.5 offensive rating during the latest stretch, the best mark in the league.
They went 3-2 and still finished with a strong +8.9 net rating despite allowing 113.6 points per 100 possessions.
That remains the question with Indiana.
The offense is good enough to beat anybody. The defense will determine how far this team can go.
7. Washington Mystics ↔
The Washington Mystics quietly win basketball games.
The Mystics went 4-2 during the latest stretch and own a 24-16 overall record.
They also posted a positive +3.6 net rating and continue to play with the same toughness that has carried them throughout the season.
Washington may not generate the same attention as some of the teams above them, but the Mystics have earned their playoff spot.
8. New York Liberty ↓3
The New York Liberty’s recent surge has cooled.
The Liberty went 2-2 during the latest stretch and finished with a nearly neutral +0.3 net rating.
They are still 24-16 overall and remain dangerous because of their experience and talent.
But right now, the other seven playoff teams are playing better basketball.
New York can still beat anybody, but not if Sabrina Ionescu lays stinker after stinker, as she has since our Aug 17 update.
9. Portland Fire ↔
The Portland Fire are the best team outside the playoff field.
The Fire are 16-24 overall and went 1-4 during the latest stretch with a -6.1 net rating.
That is not enough to move them up, but Portland still deserves credit for staying competitive during an expansion season.
Carla Leite continues to look like a major piece for the future.
There is plenty here to build around.
10. Chicago Sky ↔
The Chicago Sky remains inconsistent.
The Sky went 2-3 during the latest stretch and posted a -9.3 net rating.
Their 98.3 offensive rating remains a problem, even though the defense has kept them competitive enough to steal games.
Kamilla Cardoso continues to develop into one of the league’s better interior players.
The next step is finding more consistency around her.
11. Los Angeles Sparks ↑1
The Los Angeles Sparks at least showed some signs of life.
The Sparks went 3-3 during the latest stretch and have won two straight.
Their -3.8 net rating was not especially impressive, but it was still an improvement over where this team was a few weeks ago.
Los Angeles has plenty of work to do, but the recent stretch was respectable.
12. Phoenix Mercury ↓1
The Phoenix Mercury remains difficult to evaluate.
The Mercury went 1-3 during the latest stretch, but they somehow still posted a positive +1.9 net rating.
That tells us the games were more competitive than the record suggests.
The bigger issue is the full-season picture.
Phoenix is 14-26, and the consistency simply has not been there, and won’t be with DeWanna Bonner off to the Dream and Kelsey Plum ruled out for the season.
13. Toronto Tempo ↑2
The Toronto Tempo moves up despite another rough stretch.
The Tempo went 1-6 and posted a league-worst -16.0 net rating during the latest evaluation window.
That is ugly.
But Toronto still owns a better overall record than Connecticut and Seattle, which is enough to move them ahead of both in this edition.
The second half of the season has been brutal after what was once a promising expansion campaign.
14. Connecticut Sun ↓1
The Connecticut Sun remains firmly in rebuilding mode.
The Sun went 2-5 during the latest stretch and posted a -14.8 net rating.
At 10-30 overall, this season is no longer about results.
It is about evaluation.
Connecticut needs to figure out which pieces belong in the next version of this roster.
15. Seattle Storm ↓1
The Seattle Storm falls to the bottom.
The Storm are 8-32 and own the worst overall record in the league.
They went 1-2 during the latest stretch and posted a -9.5 net rating.
There are still young pieces worth developing, but 8-32 is impossible to ignore.
For Seattle, the focus is already on 2027.
Biggest Movers
📈 Dallas Wings (+4)
📈 Atlanta Dream (+3)
📈 Toronto Tempo (+2)
📈 Los Angeles Sparks (+1)
📉 New York Liberty (-3)
📉 Indiana Fever (-3)
📉 Minnesota Lynx (-1)
📉 Las Vegas Aces (-1)
📉 Phoenix Mercury (-1)
📉 Connecticut Sun (-1)
📉 Seattle Storm (-1)
Final Thoughts
The playoff field is set, but the power structure inside it has changed.
Golden State has finally overtaken Minnesota after putting together an 8-2 stretch that included wins over Dallas, Minnesota, and New York.
The Lynx remain the league’s best team by overall record, but the Valkyries have earned the No. 1 spot based on how they are playing right now.
Dallas might be the most interesting team on the board.
The Wings have won four straight and posted the best net rating in the league during our latest evaluation window. Atlanta is rolling, Las Vegas remains dangerous, and Indiana continues to score at an elite level.
The gap between the playoff teams and everybody else is also enormous.
Dallas sits eighth in the standings at 24-16, while Portland is ninth at 16-24.
That gives us a very clear postseason field.
Now we get to find out which of those eight teams is actually ready to make a run.
Phil Naessens has spent decades in sports as a broadcaster, author, journalist, professional tennis coach, and betting analyst. As the founder and editor of Crush & Rush News and host of the Crush & Rush Tennis Podcast, he combines firsthand coaching experience with years of sports media and publishing to deliver thoughtful tennis analysis, tournament coverage, player features, and transparent betting insights built around value, and not hype.
