Jalen Brunson (PG, DAL) - Week 10 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add In 14-Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 3% of leagues

ANALYSIS: With Dennis Smith Jr. (wrist) and J.J. Barea (ankle) both currently banged up and their short term availability in doubt, rookie guard Jalen Brunson looks to have some upside as a streaming option for fantasy owners.

Brunson, who helped lead Villanova to the national championship last season, opened this season with eight games of double-digit minutes, but then fell out of the team's rotation. That's changed, though, over the last six games; Brunson is averaging 26.8 minutes per game and has started four of those games for the Mavericks. He's averaging 12 points and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 54.7 percent from the floor. If you're adding him at this point, it's because he's showing himself to be a capable scorer when the Mavericks need it and is doing so efficiently. He's also added 1.2 steals per game over that span.

It's not all great for the rookie. He's shot just 20 percent from three over that span and his upside as a passer is limited because the Mavericks are letting Luka Doncic run things offensively. And adding Brunson feels like a very short term thing, because this team is DEEP on the perimeter, with Doncic, Smith Jr., and J.J. Barea all likely ahead of Brunson in the pecking order when everyone is healthy.

But Brunson doesn't lack upside. Remember how Yogi Ferrell put up solid numbers last year in that third/fourth guard role for Dallas? Brunson has a shot to do that, especially if he can keep taking shots inside to keep his efficiency up. Brunson isn't a league winner, but if you need someone this week to help you fill in some gaps you have due to injuries, he's worth a look.