5 Indiana Fever Players Who Need to Step Up in Wake of Caitlin Clark Injury

The Indiana Fever were dealt a gut-punch on Monday as news broke that WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark will miss a minimum of two weeks with a left quadriceps strain.

While Clark's long-term health remains the primary concern, attention quickly shifts to Indiana's upcoming schedule. If the 2-2 Fever are to remain in the pack, they'll need increased production from a roster that was bolstered this offseason to improve the supporting group around their First Team All-WNBA guard.

"I think it's the advantage of the depth we added in the offseason," Fever head coach Stephanie White told media after practice on Monday. "We're equipped. It's a great opportunity for our team to find an identity. It's a great opportunity for our team to play in a different way."

With Indiana's depth suddenly thrust into the spotlight, let's examine the players who will need to step up in Clark's absence.

Sydney Colson

After much speculation, White revealed that veteran guard Sydney Colson will replace Clark in the starting lineup.

Fever head coach Stephanie White says Sydney Colson will start with Caitlin Clark out.
— Tony East (@TonyREast) May 27, 2025

The 35-year-old has played sparingly so far this season, averaging just 8.0 minutes per game with limited production across the first three games before being benched for the entirety of Indiana's battle on Saturday against the New York Liberty.

That's been par for the course as Colson hasn't averaged over 10 minutes a game since her 2019 season with the Las Vegas Aces.

In fact, Colson has only started 10 of 244 games played in her 10-year WNBA career, and has only cracked the starting rotation once in her last 132 games, a stretch that dates back to 2018.

What Colson does bring to the table is strong defense and a championship pedigree, as a two-time WNBA champ with the Las Vegas Aces in 2022 and 2023.

"I'm just the kind of person, I stay ready so I don't have to get ready," Colson told reporters on Monday prior to the news breaking of her insertion into the starting lineup. "If my name is called, I'll be ready. If it's not, I'll be ready to support and be vocal."

With her name evidently called, it'll be curious to see what her playing time looks like in the upcoming weeks. While she shouldn't be expected to provide a massive boost offensively, Colson's veteran experience and knack for making plays on defense could prove beneficial.

Without their top offensive engine, the Fever cannot afford to get lackluster play out of their starting lineup. Colson will need to be up to the task.

Sophie Cunningham

In one of their biggest moves this offseason, the Fever acquired Sophie Cunningham in a four-team trade, prying the sharpshooter away from the Phoenix Mercury.

A right ankle injury suffered in the preseason finale sidelined Cunningham for the first two games of the season, but the seventh-year guard has appeared in the Fever's last two games, coming off the bench to log 20 minutes in both outings.

While Colson gets the bump into the starting lineup, Cunningham could remain an option should White seek to switch up the starting five. She certainly has the experience, starting 72 of 99 games for Phoenix across the past three seasons and averaging 10.5 PPG in that span.

Veteran Fever guard Sydney Colson will start in place of Caitlin Clark. Sophie Cunningham will also have to play a larger role. pic.twitter.com/zDWgOqtbVA
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) May 27, 2025

Regardless, Cunningham's scoring and playmaking ability will be a necessity with one of the league's top producers out of the lineup. White confirmed that Cunningham is due for a larger role in the upcoming stretch.

The Fever will need three-point shooting to remain one of the top offenses in the WNBA. Clark does it in spades and led the WNBA in three-pointers made and three-pointers attempted during her rookie campaign. One player can't replace all of that production, but Cunningham, a 36.3% shooter from beyond the arc in her career, immediately becomes one of the Fever's top options from distance.

Kelsey Mitchell

Indiana's most decorated guard behind Clark, two-time All-Star Kelsey Mitchell becomes the Fever's top scoring option, and possibly their primary creator as well.

Fresh off the best season of her eight-year WNBA career, averaging a career-high 19.2 PPG and placing 10th in MVP voting, Mitchell continues to be a prolific scoring threat and a capable playmaker.

She's no stranger to being the focal point of an offense, having led the Fever in scoring for five consecutive seasons from 2019 to 2023.

Granted, the Fever were not exactly world beaters during that time, going 49-149 in her first six seasons prior to Clark's arrival. Nonetheless, Indiana will need to get their scoring from somewhere, and Mitchell remains the most likely candidate to shoulder the offense from the perimeter.

DeWanna Bonner

After a slow start to her 2025 campaign, DeWanna Bonner was bounced from Indiana's starting lineup on Saturday, coming off the bench for just the second time in the last eight seasons.

The 37-year-old has struggled mightily on offense, averaging just 2.5 PPG through four games on 2-of-16 shooting.

With Clark sidelined and the Fever needing a scoring spark to fill the void, it would be an opportune time for one of the league's greats to break out of her early-season slump.

Despite now being the longest-tenured active player in the WNBA, Bonner has been an effective and efficient scorer into her twilight years. The Connecticut Sun's leading scorer in each of the last two seasons, Bonner earned All-Star nods in 2023 and 2024 and received MVP votes last season.

A quick look at her career numbers shows that the six-time All-Star has never once finished a season without averaging double figures. If history is any indication, Bonner should return to form and the Fever could certainly use some extra scoring, now more than ever.

Lexie Hull

White opted for a three-guard starting lineup against the Liberty on Saturday, swapping in 6-foot-1 Lexie Hull in place of the 6-foot-4 Bonner. Hull rewarded her with a season-high 15 points, going 6-of-9 from the floor and converting on both of her three-point attempts.

The fourth-year guard has impressed through four games, averaging 10.0 PPG and shooting over 50% from the field as well as three-point land.

It would make sense to keep Hull in the starting lineup, both considering her strong start and the loss of Clark in the backcourt.

Perhaps Hull, and to similar effect Cunningham, can help minimize the absence of Clark's three-point shooting with an increased workload. Clark averaged close to nine three-point attempts this season -- with the way she's been shooting, Hull would appear a likely option to inherit some of those looks moving forward.