Every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, we pose a question to a rotating panel of ESPN fantasy basketball experts to gauge their thoughts on a hot topic. Todays contributors are ESPN NBA Insider Kevin Pelton and ESPN Fantasys Joe Kaiser and Kyle Soppe.Al Horford is just 11 games into his tenure with the Boston Celtics, but he currently ranks 11th on the Player Rater based on averages. While his scoring (15.5 PPG, 50.4 FG%, 12.6 FGA) is nearly identical to what he did his last two seasons with the Hawks, his 3-point shooting (1.5 3-PPG, 39.0 3-FG%), assists (5.0 APG) and blocks (2.6 BPG) have skyrocketed. Is this just a small-sample-size anomaly or a sign of things to come?Kevin Pelton: Ive been doing some research lately into how to best predict performance the rest of the season, which yields opposing conclusions about these stats. Early-season block rates tend to not be as predictive as past performance, while assist rates tend to stabilize pretty quickly. Naturally, 3-point percentage is also fluky, though Horfords track record is strong enough at this point that I dont expect him to drop off that much.Ultimately, the projections that combine performance to date and preseason expectations peg Horford for 4.1 assists but just 1.4 blocks per game the rest of the season, which suggests his value is probably already at a high point.Joe Kaiser: The fact that Horford started taking 3-pointers for the first time in his career last season, shooting 34.4 percent and making 1.1 of 3.1 attempts, is an encouraging sign that his 3-point success this season isnt a fluke. Playing under Brad Stevens in Boston, hes taking and making more threes (1.5 of 3.7 per game) while shooting an improved 39 percent. I dont think this is a fluke, and at this point we have to consider the 3-pointer a key part of Horfords fantasy value. Just dont expect any style points with the form on his 3-point stroke.As far as his assists go, clearly Boston signed him with the intent of utilizing him as a facilitator, and were seeing that with the hike in assists this season. He has dished out at least five assists in six of his first 11 games with the Celtics, including nine in his last game, against the Rockets. Its safe to say hes going to break his previous single-season high of 3.5 APG, and Id expect him to finish somewhere between 4.5-5.5 by seasons end.The blocks are the one stat that I think we can chalk up to small sample size. Horford is 30 years old and in his 10th NBA season -- this isnt typically a stage in a players career when he would suddenly become a bigger shot-blocker. His previous single-season best is 1.5 BPG, set twice in the last three seasons, and Id expect that to be his ceiling in 2016-17.Kyle Soppe: Im buying all the Horford shares I can get. From a basketball standpoint, the rise in Horfords unique skill set is because ... well, its now unique. In Atlanta, he shared the front court with Paul Millsap, a player whose skill was so similar to his that I often confused the two.Horfords skills havent gotten any better this season, he has simply gotten smarter. The percentage of his shots taken from 16 feet or further is actually down a tick from last season (46.8 percent, down from 47.9 percent last season), but he has joined #TeamAnalytics and determined that he might as well step behind that 3-point line if he is going to settle from a jumper.I also believe that the assist spike is real, for many of the same reasons. Due to his unique set of skills, he often puts the opposing center in a difficult position on the perimeter, thus allowing him to showcase his playmaking abilities. Id take the under on five assists per game and 39-percent 3-point shooting when all is said and done, but the Celtics are a top-10 team in offensive efficiency right now, and that is no mistake. Horford is a reliable player who can help fantasy owners across the board and should finish the season as a top-20 player. Guy Lapointe Jersey . Thousands of Southern California fans enveloped the Trojans to celebrate an improbable win secured by an interim coach, an inconsistent kicker and a thin defence that wouldnt break. Pierre Turgeon Canadiens Jersey . -- In a span of seven Washington Redskins offensive plays, Justin Tuck sacked Robert Griffin III four times. http://www.canadienssale.com/authentic-charlie-lindgren-canadiens-jersey/ .Y. - Jerome Samson scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the St. Guy Lafleur Jersey . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. Paul Byron Canadiens Jersey . Defencemen Drew Doughty, Shea Weber and forward Ryan Getzlaf also scored for the Canadians, who started their gold-medal defence 2-0. Goalie Roberto Luongo, getting the call in place of Game 1 starter Carey Price, was solid when needed in making 23 saves for the shutout. AUBURN, Ala. -- Kerryon Johnson was a versatile playmaker who returned kicks, ran the Wildcat and caught some passes out of the backfield as a freshman.Now, his role is more defined: Auburns featured tailback. The Tigers sophomore vaulted to the top of the depth chart entering next Saturdays opener with No. 2 Clemson following the dismissal of top returning runner Jovon Robinson during fall camp and two other departures .Johnson insists his approach hasnt changed with the more prominent role.I prepared every day like this for the past 18 years of my life, he said. I come in, I go to work, I leave. Thats just what I do. I feel like we have a lot of people on the team that do that. That was an unfortunate event obviously, but it didnt change my mind-set at all. I just maybe got a couple of more carries. Ive just got to do my job anyway.Johnson ran for a modest 208 yards last season, often taking direct snaps in the Wildcat formation. His 14 catches led Auburns tailbacks, and he averaged 27.6 yards returning kicks.The top three rushers all left for various reasons. Peyton Barber was an early entry into the NFL draft, Roc Thomas transferred to FCS Jacksonville State and Robinson was booted from the team for off-the-field issues.That leaves Johnson as the only tailback who has logged a carry for the Tigers. Auburn brought in onetime Baylor signee Kam Martin, a 177-pound speedster who anchored a 4x200-meter relay team in Port Arthur, Texas that set a national record. The Tigers also signed Malik Miller, Johnsons high school teammate, and have worked H-back Kamryn Pettway at tailback.But Johnson figures to be the workhorse. He missed most of spring practice after offseason shoulder surgery but packed on 16 pounds to report to preseason camp weighing a sturdier 211.Im real cconfident in him, Tigers receiver Marcus Davis said.dddddddddddd Hes very, very talented. Hes a guy whos really intelligent as well. He does things that I never saw other people do and Im real comfortable with him back there and confident in his abilities.Hes just a real smooth, swift guy. I know hes going to make a lot of plays.Johnson certainly did that at Madison Academy near Huntsville, Alabama. He was the states Mr. Football after rushing for 1,659 yards and 25 touchdowns as a senior and leading the Mustangs to three consecutive state titles.Johnson also started as a safety his entire freshman season after making an impression in a 7 on 7 tournament over the summer, taking over the No. 1 tailback spot during the season.Im not stupid. It took about two plays to realize hes special and he needs to be playing, Madison Academy defensive backs coach Mark Berryman said.Johnson remains one of the players Berryman cites as an example to Madison seniors for the kind of attitude that led him to spend time on the scout team even as the teams star player.Johnson displays a self-deprecating sense of humor on social media -- posting on Twitter that he started sophomore year off strong by getting lost trying to find a class on the first day of fall semester.Berryman doesnt believe Johnsons personality will change as a starting tailback in the Southeastern Conference. He also points to Johnsons runs late in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic to earn MVP honors as evidence that hes a physical runner.He ran the ball between the tackles the last two drives by himself, Berryman said. Theres a lot more to Kerryon Johnson than what you saw last year. ' ' '