WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) Rankings 2023-24: Top 5 candidates ft. A'ja Wilson (Week 3)

The third week of the 2024 WNBA season is in the books now. The competition has a clearer picture regarding the standings, with five teams looking like the best squads.

While the teams are battling night in and night out to be the best regular-season squad, the players are also trying to establish themselves as legit candidates to win notable awards.

The MVP race remains hot, and it's time to take a look at the best performers on the defensive end. These are the top five candidates to win the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award after three weeks.

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WNBA DPOY Power Rankings 2024 after Week 3

#5, Ezi Magbegor, Seattle Storm

Ezi Magbegor makes it to this list this week, replacing Cameron Brink at the fifth spot. The Seattle Storm forward/center has made a notable impact on the defensive end, recording a WNBA-best 3.0 blocks per game, which is 61.5% of the team's blocks.

She's also averaging 1.1 steals per game with a 90.8 defensive rating and .208 defensive win share. Magbegor and the Storm are looking like a potential threat to the top teams in the playoffs.

#4, Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty

Breanna Stewart's numbers have decreased a little after Week 3. The New York Liberty star is posting 2.2 spg (2.7 last week) and 1.1 bpg (1.7 last week) after nine games played.

She's also posting a 94.3 defensive rating, and a .166 defensive win shares with the New Yorkers, who rank second in the Eastern Conference.

#3, A'ja Wilson, LV Aces

A'ja Wilson returns to this list after one week, and she's doing it in a big way. The Las Vegas Aces star keeps dominating on both ends in the WNBA, being considered a strong MVP candidate but also having good chances to win the DPOY award.

She's averaging 2.8 bpg (68% of the Aces' blocks) and 1.3 spg, with a 93.5 defensive rating and a .180 defensive win share.

#2, Elizabeth Williams, Chicago Sky

Throughout the first three weeks of the 2024 WNBA season, Elizabeth Williams has improved her numbers, showing she's a strong candidate to win this award.

The Chicago Sky forward/center is averaging 2.1 spg and 2.0 bpg, ranking sixth and fifth, respectively, in the WNBA. She's posted a 93.8 DEF RTG and a .157 DEF WS with the Sky.

#1, Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx

For the third straight week, the No. 1 spot on this list belongs to Napheesa Collier, one of the best players in the WNBA this season. She's an MVP candidate and the clear favorite to take the DPOY award home, although Elizabeth Williams may give her a run for her money.

Collier, just like Williams, belongs in the top 10 of spg (third with 2.5) and bpg (eighth with 1.8). She's posted an 89.4 DEF RTG and a .248 DEF WS for the Minnesota Lynx, one of the hottest teams in the league.