NWSL Team of the Week: Jaedyn Shaw and Lindsey Heaps stand out ahead of USWNT camps

The Attacking Third crew picked their best XI from the past week's NWSL action

Oct 5, 2026 at 1:00 pm ET • 4 min read

The clock is ticking on the 2026 NWSL regular season. It's a new month for the league, the final one ahead of the postseason, and players are making the most of the limited opportunities in front of them to stand out. That means it's time to roll out the Attacking Third team of the week. 

It's harder than ever to whittle hundreds of players down to a list of eleven, but someone has to try. After weekly matches across the 2026 NWSL season, Attacking Third analysts will select players, a head coach, and an honorary captain based on weekend performances. 

Here you can find a mix of stats and data, analysis from our pundits, and highlights you may have missed over the weekend. If you're keeping track of who earned past honors, check out our previous team of the week.

Here's who made the latest edition:

Goalkeeper: Kailen Sheridan (North Carolina Courage)

Every game is a playoff game when you're dancing around near the playoff line. Thankfully for the Courage, they have a reliable goalkeeper in Kailen Sheridan who can help keep close games from turning into dropped points. 

Defender: Kennedy Wesley (San Diego Wave FC)

You know a defender has a huge impact on a game when the story is whether or not they were the victim of a "soft" penalty call. San Diego Wave FC centerback Kennedy Wesley was a huge thorn in the side of Orlando Pride attackers with her positioning and was a constant outlet for teammates when building play -- and now she's on another team of the week because of it. 

Defender: Janine Sonis (Denver Summit)

Fullback Janine Sonis is just making it look easy now. The defender is back on another team of the week after scoring her 12th goal from an outrageous angle.

Defender: Natalie Jacobs (North Carolina Courage)

North Carolina's backline just got another boost with Natalie Jacobs' return. The defender had to navigate a head injury earlier this season, and while she returned to pitch in July, she made her first start in over a month during a big win with playoff implications. The backline looked more comfortable with the veteran, and she helped carry the Courage's first clean sheet since September 6. 

Defender: Tara Rudd (Washington Spirit)

If goalscoring is tough to come by nowadays, just have your striker turn center back in the box on a set piece. That's exactly what Washington Spirit have with defender Tara Rudd.

Midfielder: Lindsey Heaps (Denver Summit)

Every game from here on out is a must-win for Denver Summit if they want to make the playoff leap. Denver Summit midfielder Lindsey Heaps scored a brace, her first since 2018, to make sure the team picked up a huge three points. 

Midfielder: Debinha (Kansas City Current)

Kansas City Current seem to be hitting a good run of form at the right time. They can thank Brazilian international Debinha for the surge, who scored three goals, keeping up the trend of hat-tricks for the squad for a second consecutive week.

Midfielder: Lia Godfrey (San Diego Wave FC)

Rookie midfielder Lia Godfrey has become a crucial cog in San Diego's midfield this season. She scored her sixth goal for the club in a playoff-clinching scenario over the weekend.

Forward: Clara Luvanga (Washington Spirit)

There are plenty of new faces on the Washington Spirit, and they're all stepping up in their own ways. This week it's Clara Luvanga scoring a game-winner and making history as the first Tanzanian player to score in the league.

Forward: Gianna Paul (North Carolina Courage)

We love a statement game, and just weeks after getting traded from Kansas City Current to North Carolina, foward Gianna Paul stepped up in a big way by scoring the lone goal and game-winner for the Courage. 

Forward: Jaedyn Shaw (Gotham FC)

Sometimes a goal is so good that we tinker around with the positions on our team of the week to make sure they nab the weekly honors. Jaedyn Shaw's movement up the pitch is so good that she's often confused for a floating forward instead of an attacking midfielder, and her finishing gets her back on the team of the week.

Coach: Mak Lind (North Carolina Courage)

For teams that are still in the playoff hunt, every game is an important one, especially against clubs who are in similar positions. The matches that function as six-point swings are too big an opportunity, and this week, North Carolina Courage coach Mak Lind had his team prepared for the moment against Seattle Reign. 

Honorary captain: Savannah DeMelo (Racing Louisville)

Over a year ago, Racing Louisville midfielder Savannah DeMelo experienced a medical emergency related to cardiac arrest on the pitch. After a lengthy time away from the field, she made her official return to the team over the weekend.