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The NBA season tipped off this week and Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson has already become a top name when it comes to the fantasy basketball waiver wire.
Currently rostered in 30% of fantasy leagues, is Jalen Johnson someone that fantasy managers should be targeting off the wire.
Keep reading for the latest fantasy basketball waiver wire analysis of Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson.
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Jalen Johnson Fantasy Basketball Outlook
Third-year forward Jalen Johnson saw a major uptick in his usage in Atlanta's season-opening loss to the Charlotte Hornets. He played 29 minutes in the contest, scoring 21 points on 9-for-13 shooting. Johnson was 1-for-3 from deep and also added seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block in the loss.
Johnson appears to have a clear role as the No. 3 forward for the Hawks right now behind Saddiq Bey and De'Andre Hunter. He should continue to see plenty of playing time.
Last season, Johnson averaged 14.9 minutes per game. He averaged 5.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.5 blocks. He played 70 games, starting in six of those.
Is Jalen Johnson A Good Fantasy Basketball Pickup?
While it's unlikely that Jalen Johnson averages 20-plus points per game going forward, he should continue to see 25-30 minutes per game. The Hawks lack a game-changing forward on this current roster, so Johnson will have plenty of opportunities off the Hawks bench.
The third-year player should be in line for the best season of his NBA career this year based on the Hawks' roster construction. His biggest threat for minutes would come from continued development by A.J. Griffin, but Griffin played just nine minutes in the team's season-opening win. For now, Johnson has a much larger role than Johnson.
Fantasy managers should be targeting Johnson off the waiver wire this week. He's likely to see a large increase in his rostership percentage, especially if he has another big showing against the Knicks on Friday. Grab Johnson while he's still available.
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