Johnson (1-0) worked the 11th and 12th innings of Wednesday's win over the Mets, striking out three while allowing just a single hit to earn the win.

EDGE Analysis

The veteran righty is coming up on his 34th birthday, and he did solid work out of Atlanta's bullpen last year, saving 20 games with a 3.06 ERA. While the Braves may not gift him a huge number of save chances and Arodys Vizcaino may push him for the role, Johnson's gotten off to a good start here. As long as he's in line to stay in the closer role, he'll hold strong fantasy value.

Johnson will be the Braves' closer to begin the season, The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports. "JJ's in great shape," manager Brian Snitker said Friday. "Hopefully he's throwing the ball like he did when the season ended. Look at it right now, I don't know why (Johnson wouldn't be the closer), quite honestly. That guy was pretty good, and reliable and durable"

EDGE Analysis

Mauricio Cabrera and Arodys Vizcaino (shoulder) were thought to be in the running for the ninth-inning job, but Snitker squashed the idea of a spring competition for the closer role Friday. Johnson saved 20 games for the Braves last year, and should be able to improve on that number for a young team on the upswing in 2017.

Johnson is expected to be the Braves' closer to begin the season, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

EDGE Analysis

Arodys Vizcaino (shoulder) has trouble staying healthy, and Mauricio Cabrera has yet to fully harness his 100-mph fastball, so Johnson is more the default option than an established ninth-inning stud. Still, he rebounded from a couple of awful seasons to post a 3.06 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 2016 with a career-best 9.5 K/9, and with the rebuilding Braves hoping to surprise in the competitive NL East, Johnson could prove to be a valuable fantasy asset if he hangs onto the closer job and doesn't get traded to further that rebuild.

Johnson worked around a walk with a pair of strikeouts to earn his 20th save of the season Sunday versus the Tigers.

EDGE Analysis

Fresh off signing a new two-year contract with the team, Johnson came on to preserve a Julio Teheran gem that kept Detroit out of the postseason. Johnson bounced back nicely from a miserable two-year stint in which he bounced around between four clubs, as his 3.06 ERA and 1.19 WHIP were both his best figures since his days with the Orioles. He appears set to enter 2017 as the team's closer, although save opportunities could be hard to come by once again.

Johnson agreed Sunday with the Braves on a two-year contract extension, David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

EDGE Analysis

Johnson was considered prime trade bait at the deadline for the rebuilding Braves, but he ended up solidifying himself as the team's closer and was outstanding in the second half, recording a 2.20 ERA and 1.16 WHIP to go along with 17 saves over 32.2 innings. Perhaps most impressively, after getting by on inducing weak contact to get outs for much of his career, Johnson made more bats miss than ever before in 2016, posting 66 strikeouts. With the Braves making an early commitment to retain Johnson before the offseason even begins, it's likely that he'll retain the closer's role heading into 2017.

Johnson allowed a walk and a single, but held the Mets scoreless in the bottom of the ninth for his second straight save Wednesday.

EDGE Analysis

Johnson was given the save opportunity after Mets closer Jeurys Familia blew an extended save opportunity, and held on for his 17th of the year. Johnson's ERA dipped back below 3.00 with the scoreless effort, a remarkable feat considering he held a 7.90 ERA at the end of May.

Johnson allowed a lone single in a scoreless ninth inning Tuesday against the Mets, striking out two for his 16th save.

EDGE Analysis

Johnson is a perfect 14-for-14 in save opportunities since July 26, not long after earning the Braves' closer gig full-time. He's posted a 1.42 ERA with a 33:5 K:BB over that span, lowering his ERA from 4.46 to 3.02.

Johnson struck out the side in a perfect ninth inning Sunday to notch his 15th save of the season in a win over the Phillies.

EDGE Analysis

He's now converted 13 straight save chances dating back to late June, and fantasy managers who picked Johnson up hoping for a boost in that category have to be thankful that the Braves didn't flip him at or after the trade deadline the way they have so many other veterans this year.

Johnson needed just three pitches to record one out and his 14th save Thursday against San Diego.

EDGE Analysis

After fellow reliever Chaz Roe let the Friars make it interesting, the Braves turned to Johnson for that pesky final out, and he delivered, getting Alexei Ramirez on a grounder to first. The veteran's been picking up a surprising number of saves lately for a Braves team that's finally figured out how to win some games; he's a lower-mid-tier closer down the stretch run.

Johnson tossed a perfect inning to record his 13th save of the season Saturday versus the Giants.

EDGE Analysis

Johnson has been in a groove of late, as he has converted 11 consecutive save opportunities and has been scored upon just once in his last 16 appearances. The veteran should continue to see the looks at the end of the game for the Braves, but his opportunities are far from plentiful.