Tag:

Playbook

XRP Ledger: Ripple Exec Reveals Institutional Playbook

by admin October 4, 2025

In the second episode of RippleX’s Onchain Economy series, RippleX Product Director Jazzi Cooper unveils the blueprint for institutional finance on-chain.

Cooper details three core features of XRP Ledger, including multipurpose tokens (MPTs), a permissioned DEX and a native lending protocol, regarded as the blueprint for institutional finance on-chain.

The future of DeFi isn’t just about decentralization; it’s about credit, compliance, and confidentiality at scale.

Episode 2 of the Onchain Economy series just dropped, and @jazzicoop details 3 core features of the XRPL:
↳ Multi-Purpose Tokens (MPTs)
↳ Permissioned DEX
↳… pic.twitter.com/Je84HOBAtP

— RippleX (@RippleXDev) October 3, 2025

According to the RippleX product director, XRP Ledger already has payment capabilities (obviously essential for cross border payments), but in a bid to replicate traditional finance or bring more use cases onto the blockchain, the need for credit origination remains clear, with XRPL’s approach a little bit different than typical DeFi ecosystems.

MPTs

Multipurpose tokens (MPTs) went live on the XRP Ledger mainnet this week. MPT is a new native token standard designed to make issuing real-world assets on-chain far simpler, safer and more aligned with how financial institutions operate.

MPTs are created with compliance controls built in so that issuers can enforce KYC/AML, freeze or claw back assets if required, add metadata like bond terms or reserve attestations and manage distribution securely with multi-sig and escrow.

Permissioned DEX and domains

According to Cooper, the permissioned DEX is a neat feature that builds on a couple of different capabilities of XRP Ledger. Permissioned DEX extends XRPL’s decentralized exchange into regulated contexts, enabling secondary markets for RWAs or FX with full AML/KYC controls.

Permissioned domains allow markets to gate participation based on credentials, creating user-controlled environments. According to Cooper, permission domains basically allow users to create a ring fence around a protocol on XRPL to add in various compliance features.

Lending protocol

Cooper spoke about a new lending protocol coming to XRP Ledger, which will allow for credit origination on-chain. The launch of XRPL’s native lending protocol is expected in XRPL version 3.0.0 release later this year.

This protocol, defined in the XLS-65/66 specifications, introduces pooled lending and underwritten credit directly at the ledger level.

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October 4, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

Africa is writing the crypto playbook

by admin September 28, 2025

Disclosure: The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to the author and do not represent the views and opinions of crypto.news’ editorial.

Let’s start with what’s actually happening: Africa is home to some of the world’s most sophisticated crypto infrastructure. Not because anyone planned it that way, but because necessity has a funny way of driving innovation.

Summary

Africa has become a real-world testing ground for crypto, where adoption is driven by necessity, not speculation.
Stablecoins already make up 40–50% of transaction volume in key markets, serving as lifelines against inflation, devaluation, and costly remittances.
Users demand world-class infrastructure that meets global standards, not “Africa-only” solutions.
Building in Africa is hard — but companies that succeed gain a strategic edge, creating resilient systems adaptable to any market.

While global markets debate theoretical use cases, African users are living them. The result? A continent that’s quietly become the world’s testing ground for what crypto actually looks like when it solves real problems.

When crypto stops being theoretical

In most of the world, crypto is still a speculative investment or a technological curiosity. In Africa, it’s Tuesday. People in this part of the world use crypto because there’s no reliable alternative. That means the needs and behaviors of African users are fundamentally different from those of other markets, where speculation and curiosity foster adoption.

The necessity-driven users are far more likely to be long-term customers because crypto fulfills their real financial needs, whether it’s remittances or preserving value in unstable economic environments. When your local currency can lose 30% of its value in a month, stablecoins aren’t innovation — they’re infrastructure. When sending money across borders costs 20% in fees, peer-to-peer transfers aren’t disruptive — they’re a survival.

At VALR, we’ve watched stablecoins grow to roughly 40% of all crypto volumes. Not because we marketed them heavily, but because they solve problems that keep people up at night. Dollar-denominated stability in economies where monetary policy can shift overnight? That’s not a feature — it’s a lifeline.

Building for reality, not presentations

African users don’t want crypto products built “for Africa.” They want world-class products that happen to work in Africa. The difference is everything. African users don’t want a “good enough” exchange with relaxed standards. They want infrastructure that competes globally while serving local needs. They’re looking for excellence. And they can tell the difference. Unfortunately, “good enough” isn’t an option when you have real people relying on your platform for their financial stability.

The African crypto ecosystem still has plenty of opportunities for those willing to maintain global quality standards, embrace regulations, and most importantly, build with integrity. Building in Africa is hard. Payment ecosystems change frequently. Regulatory frameworks evolve. Economic conditions shift.

But here’s what we’ve discovered: that complexity is actually an advantage. When you’ve learned to build robust systems that work across diverse, challenging environments, entering new markets becomes easier, not harder.

It’s like training at altitude. Everything else feels manageable by comparison.

The partnership reality

Global crypto firms often approach African markets with good intentions but limited understanding. They see the user numbers, appreciate the growth potential, and want to participate. The challenge isn’t interest — it’s execution.

Building here requires time, capital, and deep local knowledge. It means understanding that what works in Singapore might not work in Lagos. It means building payment rails from scratch and navigating regulatory environments that change as quickly as they develop.

From an African perspective, the most successful partnerships come from companies that understand they’re not just exporting their existing playbook, but collaborating to build something new.

The stablecoin present

Here’s the reality: most businesses on the continent trust the US dollar more than their local alternatives. And given the monetary policy volatility across many African currencies, that’s not necessarily irrational.

Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) provide instant, borderless transactions without the complexity of new payment networks. Persistent inflation and foreign currency access issues have made stablecoins an attractive alternative. Dollar-denominated stablecoins are filling a critical gap in our financial infrastructure.

A quick glance at the latest Chainalysis report tells you that Sub-Saharan Africa witnessed a massive spike in crypto activity in March this year. Monthly on-chain volume topped $25 billion when most other regions experienced declines. The biggest factor driving this surge? A sudden currency devaluation in Nigeria in March 2025. It pushed more users towards crypto as a hedge against instability.

In Nigeria, stablecoins account for nearly 50% of crypto transaction volume. Similar patterns are emerging across South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana. By 2025, we expect key markets to cross the 60% threshold.

Service over speculation

Africa isn’t the future of crypto because someone at a conference said so. It’s the present of crypto because that’s where the real demand is — and real demand drives real innovation.

The continent isn’t waiting for permission or validation. The infrastructure is being built, the adoption is happening, and the solutions are working because people in Africa expect a reliable financial infrastructure that works when they need it most.

The revolution isn’t coming. It’s already running. Here, crypto isn’t merely an alternative investment; it’s a strategic economic tool for millions.

Badi Sudhakaran

Badi Sudhakaran is the co-founder and Chief Product Officer of VALR, a global cryptocurrency exchange born in Africa. He has over 20 years of experience at the intersection of technology and finance. His expertise spans product development, user-centric design, and navigating the evolving landscape of global cryptocurrency exchanges. At VALR, Badi leads product strategy to serve both emerging and developed markets with world-class crypto infrastructure.

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September 28, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

Digital asset treasuries or ICO playbook institutionalized

by admin September 23, 2025

Disclosure: The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to the author and do not represent the views and opinions of crypto.news’ editorial.

When Michael Saylor announced in 2020 that MicroStrategy (now Strategy) was converting part of its balance sheet into Bitcoin (BTC), it felt like a sober milestone. For the first time, a publicly traded company was treating Bitcoin as a reserve asset rather than a speculative toy — digital gold in corporate form. Saifedean Ammous’ Bitcoin Standard had finally found a disciple in the world of listed equities.

Summary

From hedge to hype — corporate crypto treasuries (DATCOs) now hold nearly 4% of Bitcoin and over 1% of Ethereum, but many use treasury moves less for risk management and more as staged spectacles.
ICO playbook reborn — much like the 2017 ICO boom, companies use treasury announcements, PR cycles, and financial engineering to drive valuations, creating a self-reinforcing hype loop.
Systemic risks grow — unlike the human-driven 2018 crash, today’s algorithmic trading could amplify DATCO unwinds into rapid cascades, threatening broader market stability.
Two paths diverge — firms like MicroStrategy treat Bitcoin as conviction; others like TMTG and CEA Industries turn treasuries into performance art, risking a repeat of ICO-style collapse on a larger stage.

It was the beginning of the corporate crypto treasury era. Within five years, more than 150 public companies had followed, together holding close to a million BTC. Today, digital asset treasury companies (DATCOs) have turned that one move into an industry category of their own. Publicly listed players such as Strategy, Metaplanet, and SharpLink Gaming now hold more than $100 billion in crypto. Together, treasury companies control about 791,000 BTC and 1.3 million Ethereum (ETH) — nearly 4% of Bitcoin’s circulating supply and just over 1% of Ethereum’s.

Cryptocurrencies are no longer just for retail investors or hedge funds; they have become a line item in quarterly reports. Yet what started as a hedge against inflation has mutated. Treasuries now serve less as risk management and more as staged performances. The logic is increasingly familiar — because we have seen it before, in the ICO boom.

The new hype cycle: ICO mechanics reborn

By 2017, initial coin offerings had evolved from J.R. Willett’s Mastercoin experiment in 2013 and Ethereum’s presale in 2014 into a full-blown mania, reshaping crypto’s image almost overnight. Projects like Basic Attention Token raised $35 million in about 30 seconds. Golem collected $8.6 million in 29 minutes. Bancor raised $153 million in just three hours. Status raised tens of millions while clogging the Ethereum network.

The failures were just as spectacular. Pincoin/iFan, a Vietnamese Ponzi scheme, extracted around $660 million from 32,000 investors before vanishing. PlexCoin promised 1,354% returns and was swiftly halted by the SEC. Centra claimed Visa and MasterCard partnerships that never existed. BitConnect became infamous for its collapse, wiping out thousands of investors. These sales demonstrated how quickly capital could be mobilized, often with little more than a promise and a single-page PDF they called White Paper.

Some ICOs did issue detailed whitepapers, of course, but the vast majority of the so-called “projects” leveraged the buying power of an avid community with empty promises of “new big thing” circulating via Twitter or BitcoinTalk forums. It was enough to create the sense of inevitability. The statistics tell the story: around 81% of ICOs turned out to be scams or failed outright within a year, nearly 25% collapsed within two, and only about 8% ever made it onto exchanges.

The mechanics were clear: ICOs raised capital quickly, used announcements to generate headlines, and attracted new waves of funding on the back of inflated valuations. That loop worked brilliantly until it didn’t. And when confidence finally broke, the same mechanics that had created a boom acted as the catalyst for the crash that became the 2018 crypto winter.

Fast forward to 2025, and the same dynamics have returned, this time in the hands of public companies. Consider CEA Industries, a Canadian vape-equipment firm. In July 2025, it announced plans to raise up to $1.25 billion to build the world’s largest publicly traded Binance Coin (BNB) treasury. Its stock surged by more than 800% in a single day. The business model hadn’t changed, but the narrative did — and the narrative was enough.

Metaplanet, listed in Tokyo, is another example of a company that embraced Bitcoin as its primary reserve asset and positioned itself as “Asia’s MicroStrategy.” The stock performance became tied less to its core operations and more to its crypto identity. And the most theatrical case: Trump Media & Technology Group, or TMT, the parent company of Truth Social. In July 2025, it was revealed that two-thirds of its liquid assets, about $2 billion, were being converted into Bitcoin and related securities. In August, it announced a $6.4 billion partnership with Crypto.com and Yorkville Advisors Global, including $1 billion worth of Cronos (CRO) tokens, $220 million in warrants, $200 million in cash, and a $5 billion equity line of credit. The structure itself became the story.

On paper, these were treasury decisions, but in practice, they looked like capital formation carefully planned to create momentum — the same circular logic of the ICO boom, but now executed by companies with auditors, tickers, and mainstream visibility.

From balance sheets to headlines

The resemblance to ICOs is not only in mechanics but also in communications. ICOs leaned on one-pagers, Twitter threads, and forum buzz to create momentum. DATCOs rely on press releases, executive interviews, and television soundbites. The intent is similar: to present financial maneuvers as visionary strategy and let media amplification reinforce the narrative.

For Michael Saylor, the purpose was straightforward. MicroStrategy’s move was defensive, aimed at preserving shareholder value in an inflationary environment by converting cash into Bitcoin. For companies like CEA Industries or TMTG, the purpose operates on another level. Each treasury announcement is staged not only as a capital decision but as a communications event. The announcement itself helps draw investor attention, influence sentiment, and sustain valuations that trade above the company’s net asset value.

Those premiums are not created by PR alone: investors weigh financial tools such as At-the-Market programs (ATMs), Private Investments in Public Equity (PIPEs), and credit lines, but communications shape the expectations that allow premiums to persist. Once shares trade above NAV, companies can raise new capital on favorable terms, recycle it into further crypto purchases, and then announce those additions in turn. It is a self-reinforcing loop in which financial engineering and communications work together: one fuels the balance sheet, the other maintains the story that keeps the cycle running.

Systemic risks: From psychology to mechanization

The ICO boom became the catalyst for the 2018 bear market. Scams and failures destroyed trust, liquidity evaporated, and a two-year winter followed. DATCOs carry the same potential, but on a greater scale. In 2018, the unwinding was driven largely by human psychology. Support levels broke, investors lost faith, and selling accelerated.

Today, the structure of markets has changed. Technical analysis still reflects collective psychology, but much of institutional trading is now algorithmic. Automated systems execute once thresholds are breached, turning hesitation into rapid cascades. Stop-losses feed margin calls, margin calls feed liquidation engines, and the cycle compresses weeks of fear into minutes. The industry has proved many times that millions can disappear in seconds. A corporate treasury holding billions cannot unwind quietly. If a company like TMTG or Metaplanet is forced to sell in a falling market, algorithms will amplify the move. Retail investors do not have the firepower to absorb those flows, and institutions typically step back until the selling is exhausted. The result is a vacuum, a freefall until forced liquidation runs its course.

This is how DATCOs, meant to project credibility by borrowing Bitcoin’s mature stats, can instead undermine the industry’s credibility when panic sets in.

Sound money turned into spectacle money

Some DATCOs reflect conviction. Strategy has treated Bitcoin not as a publicity tool but as a core treasury asset, accumulating more than 200,000 BTC through debt issuance and steady purchases. Its approach has been consistent: borrow in fiat, buy Bitcoin, and hold through cycles.

The majority, however, leans into spectacle. Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. and CEA Industries have treated treasuries as a stage, where the act of announcing the reserve creates more value than the reserve itself. The parallel to ICOs is striking. A handful of projects like EOS and Tezos left a mark, but the majority collapsed. In the same way, corporate treasuries may leave a few durable players and a trail of PR stunts that vanish when the cycle turns.

Corporate treasuries began as hedges and quickly became press releases. Now they serve as brand identities. They can generate credibility when backed by conviction, or short-term attention when staged as spectacle. But theater carries consequences. In 2017, ICOs acted as the catalyst for the crypto winter of 2018. In 2025, treasuries risk playing the same role – only now the stage is bigger, the audience includes institutional investors, and the credibility of the industry itself is on the line.

Alesya Sypalo

Alesya Sypalo is a strategic communications professional who has worked in crypto for the past eight years. She focuses on the full scope of public relations, with strong experience in crisis communications. Outside of work, Alesya is interested in financial and crypto crime investigations and studies journalism to look at the industry from different perspectives and understand the narratives that shape it.

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September 23, 2025 0 comments

Esports

Fantasy playbook: NFL Week 3 scores, projections, matchups

by admin September 20, 2025

Mike ClaySep 19, 2025, 06:56 AM ET
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Welcome to The Playbook for Week 3, which kicked off Thursday with the Dolphins at the Bills.

This column features score projections, over/unders, win probabilities, and, of course, easily digestible fantasy advice for seasonlong leagues and DFS. This guide should help you with all sorts of decision-making, including sit/start decisions, last-minute waiver adds and lineup choices.

Additionally, we have folded the Shadow Reports, previously a separate column, into the game-by-game breakdowns here. Using our play-by-play data, we’re able to identify defensive schemes and where each wide receiver and cornerback lines up on each play. By tracking these WR/CB matchups, including potential shadow situations, we can offer the best projections, rankings, sit/start advice and waiver wire suggestions each week.

All of this advice is centered on 12-team PPR leagues with relatively standard scoring and lineup settings (1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 flex, 1 K, 1 D/ST), although I’ll often mention “shallow” or “deep” leagues for some starters. The charts show all players who have been projected for at least 6.0 fantasy points this week, as well as all D/STs. “Matchup” is automatically determined using a proprietary metric that factors in raw and volume-adjusted fantasy points allowed to each position by the opposing defense this season.

(Editor’s note: Projections and rankings will align almost perfectly, but sometimes when a projection is close, a player might be ranked slightly higher or lower because of other factors, including upside or risk. This column is subject to updates during the weekend, although at the very minimum, rankings will be updated on the site and projections will always be updated inside the game leading up to kickoff.)

Projected score: Packers 24, Browns 15

RANK

PLAYER

PROJ

MATCHUP

QB1616.0

Good

QB3210.6

Shaky

RB916.9

Poor

RB369.0

Poor

WR3812.0

Average

WR5010.4

Good

WR549.7

Average

WR578.8

Good

WR638.4

Good

TE511.1

Poor

TE139.4

Good

TE198.2

Good

DST18.1

Great

DST224.5

Shaky

Lineup locks: Josh Jacobs, Tucker Kraft

Fantasy scoop: Quinshon Judkins made his pro debut in Week 2 and played more than expected. The second-round rookie soaked up 10 carries and three targets on 19 snaps. Game script allowed Jerome Ford to lead the Cleveland backfield in snaps (35) for the second week in a row, but he was limited to six carries to go along with his six targets. Dylan Sampson crashed back to earth after a strong Week 1, totaling four carries and three targets on 17 snaps. Judkins played well (71 yards), and his role only figures to increase, although Ford appears to be a real threat for passing down work, with Sampson also likely to chip in here or there. Judkins might work his way into the RB2 mix at some point soon, but he’s safest as a fringe flex this week against a Packers defense that has held opposing backs to 2.4 yards per carry (second lowest) so far this season.

Over/under: 38.7 (Lowest)
Win probability: Packers 81% (2nd highest)

Projected score: Colts 24, Titans 19

RANK

PLAYER

PROJ

MATCHUP

QB1118.2

Shaky

QB2914.1

Shaky

RB418.7

Average

RB2014.7

Average

WR2313.0

Average

WR4810.5

Great

WR539.8

Average

WR608.7

Great

TE411.6

Good

TE169.4

Average

DST76.9

Great

DST195.3

Poor

Lineup locks: Jonathan Taylor, Tony Pollard, Calvin Ridley, Tyler Warren

Shadow Report: Michael Pittman Jr. is a candidate to draw shadow coverage from L’Jarius Sneed. Sneed shadowed Courtland Sutton when he was on the field in Week 1, then full-time shadowed Davante Adams on his perimeter routes in Week 2. Both Sutton (granted, Sneed was limited in that game) and Adams put together strong stat lines, but a healthy Sneed is one of the game’s top cover corners, so this matchup is not to be completely disregarded. Pittman doesn’t draw shadows as often as some No. 1 receivers, although Pat Surtain II did travel with him at times in Week 2, which helps explain his 4-40-0 receiving line. Pittman is already a fringe flex option, so he’s safest left on your bench in Week 3.

Over/under: 42.6 (12th highest)
Win probability: Colts 69% (6th highest)

Projected Score: Vikings 21, Bengals 20

Lineup locks: Chase Brown, Jordan Mason, Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, T.J. Hockenson

Fantasy scoop: Joe Burrow is out for three-plus months, which means Jake Browning will take over as Bengals quarterback. Browning played a majority of the snaps in seven games in place of Burrow in 2023. Browning averaged 19.1 fantasy PPG those weeks, which was fourth best among QBs during the span. The Bengals were very pass-heavy with Burrow under center in 2023 (12% pass rate over expected) and, while still pass-first, they were more balanced with Browning (+4%). He totaled 14 TDs and 7 INTs in those seven games and adds just enough with his legs to place him in the QB2 mix going forward. Chase was limited to a 29-383-1 receiving line in six games with Browning (12.2 FF PPG) in 2023, but that was prior to his big 2024 breakout and he was very productive with Browning under center last week (14-165-1). Tee Higgins produced 15-328-3 in five games (13.2 PPG) with Browning in 2023 and is now more of a WR3/flex. Browning is obviously a downgrade from Burrow, but he averaged 267 passing yards per game in 2023 and threw at least one TD pass in all seven of those games. Brown and Chase remain lineup locks.

Fantasy scoop: Minnesota will be without J.J. McCarthy and Aaron Jones this week. McCarthy’s absence shouldn’t affect the passing game much, as, at this point his young career, he might not be much better than replacement Carson Wentz (McCarthy totaled 301 yards, two TDs and three INTs during Weeks 1-2). Jefferson and Hockenson can remain in lineups. Jones’ injury means Mason should be in lineups. The 26-year-old has minimal competition for snaps (Zavier Scott is next up on the depth chart), is a terrific rusher (career 5.2 YPC ranks third and 2.5 YAC ranks first among RBs with 200-plus carries since he entered the league) and was actually used a bit as a receiver last week (career-high 14% target share). Mason will be very busy against a Bengals defense that has allowed the second-most fantasy points and a league-high three TDs to opposing RBs.

Over/under: 41.3 (13th highest)
Win probability: Vikings 54% (14th highest)

Projected score: Steelers 22, Patriots 22

RANK

PLAYER

PROJ

MATCHUP

QB1218.0

Good

QB2415.3

Good

RB1316.1

Average

RB2911.9

Good

RB3310.6

Average

RB398.8

Good

WR1814.5

Good

WR4910.5

Good

WR588.7

Good

WR648.4

Good

TE119.6

Shaky

TE159.1

Average

TE237.3

Shaky

DST145.7

Good

DST175.6

Good

Lineup locks: Jaylen Warren, DK Metcalf

Fantasy scoop: It was expected that second-round rookie TreVeyon Henderson was going to take lead back duties from Rhamondre Stevenson in New England this season. That hasn’t happened … at least not yet. After out-snapping Henderson 45-23 in Week 1, Stevenson held a 36-16 edge last week. In addition to dominating the snaps, Stevenson holds an 18-8 edge in carries, 9-8 edge in targets and 33-26 edge in routes. Henderson has played well when called on (4.6 YPC, and he caught all eight of his targets for 54 yards) and his role only figures to grow, but at least for now, he should be relegated to the fantasy bench. Stevenson (169 yards on 25 touches this season) is seeing just enough work to place him in the flex discussion against a Steelers defense that allowed 16-plus fantasy points to both Breece Hall and Kenneth Walker III.

Over/under: 44.2 (11th highest)
Win probability: Steelers 51% (Lowest)

Projected score: Eagles 27, Rams 23

Lineup locks: Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, Kyren Williams, Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, A.J. Brown

Fantasy scoop: Eagles wide receivers are off to a very slow start, but don’t panic just yet. As noted last week, Brown and DeVonta Smith were slowed by Dallas’ extremely zone-heavy scheme in the opener. The team made an effort to get them going in Week 2, and while Brown was held to an ugly 27 yards, he was peppered with nine targets (41% share). Smith was slightly better, totaling 53 yards on six targets. Pass volume has been down (45 total pass attempts) and all five of the offensive TDs have come on the ground (compared to 58% in 2024). Both receivers remain featured pieces of a good Eagles offense. Brown is still a lineup lock and Smith is best viewed as a fringe WR3.

Shadow Report: Adams can expect to see shadow coverage from Quinyon Mitchell. Philly’s top corner traveled with George Pickens in Week 1 and, though it wasn’t the entire game, he shadowed Hollywood Brown on six of his first seven perimeter routes last week. Why Adams and not Nacua? Similar to CeeDee Lamb, Nacua spends a lot of time in the slot, whereas Pickens and Adams primarily align out wide. Mitchell, one of the game’s top young corners, will see a ton of Adams, whereas Nacua will work often against Cooper DeJean in the slot. The Rams’ top two receivers will still be extremely busy (they both have a 33% target share this season), so even in what might be a harder matchup than usual, they remain top fantasy options.

Over/under: 49.3 (4th highest)
Win probability: Eagles 63% (8th highest)

Projected score: Buccaneers 27, Jets 19

RANK

PLAYER

PROJ

MATCHUP

QB718.6

Average

QB2515.7

Average

RB717.9

Good

RB1715.9

Average

RB407.2

Good

WR1415.5

Poor

WR1714.6

Average

WR3112.7

Average

WR628.4

Average

TE227.2

Good

DST37.1

Average

DST264.3

Average

Lineup locks: Baker Mayfield, Bucky Irving, Breece Hall, Mike Evans, Garrett Wilson, Emeka Egbuka

Shadow Report: Evans is a candidate for shadow coverage courtesy of Sauce Gardner. Gardner did not shadow against Buffalo’s wide receiver rotation last week, but did the last time he faced a clear No. 1 perimeter target: DK Metcalf in Week 1. Gardner was on Metcalf on all 29 of his perimeter routes, holding Pittsburgh’s top receiver to 12.3 fantasy points. Shadowed in both Week 1 (A.J. Terrell Jr.) and Week 2 (Derek Stingley Jr.), Evans is off to a slow start, totaling a 10-107-0 receiving line on 19 targets. Gardner presents a tough matchup, though Evans’ 29% target share is enough to keep him squarely in the WR2 mix.

Over/under: 46.1 (7th highest)
Win probability: Buccaneers 76% (3rd highest)

Projected score: Commanders 27, Raiders 19

RANK

PLAYER

PROJ

MATCHUP

QB1617.0

Average

QB2215.2

Average

RB1415.4

Shaky

RB2811.2

Poor

WR1614.7

Shaky

WR2312.9

Good

WR3012.6

Good

WR627.8

Shaky

TE214.9

Great

TE109.6

Poor

DST86.8

Good

DST165.6

Average

Lineup locks: Ashton Jeanty, Jakobi Meyers, Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel, Brock Bowers

Fantasy scoop: Austin Ekeler is out for the season, which opens the door for Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez to handle the Washington backfield. Croskey-Merritt (34 snaps, 14 carries, 15 routes, 2 targets this season) is the top bet to lead the unit in snaps and carries moving forward. However, McNichols (26 snaps, four carries, 10 routes, zero targets) is likely to take on a sizable chunk of Ekeler’s passing down role, and Rodriguez (inactive in Weeks 1-2) is a capable short-yardage/goal line option. The Raiders have locked down RBs pretty well (fifth-fewest fantasy points allowed), so while Croskey-Merritt is the top fantasy option of the unit, he’s best left on benches in Week 3.

Shadow Report: The Raiders have surrendered the fourth-most fantasy points to wide receivers, which is hardly a surprise considering their shaky cornerbacks room. That’s good news for McLaurin, Samuel and rookie Jaylin Lane, who will face off with Eric Stokes, Kyu Blu Kelly and Darnay Holmes this week. Upgrade the Washington WR room.

Over/under: 46.4 (6th highest)
Win probability: Commanders 75% (4th highest)

Projected score: Falcons 24, Panthers 21

RANK

PLAYER

PROJ

MATCHUP

QB1816.2

Shaky

QB2714.6

Poor

RB121.0

Average

RB1914.7

Poor

WR915.6

Poor

WR2113.3

Shaky

WR4510.6

Poor

WR687.6

Shaky

WR697.4

Shaky

TE129.5

Great

DST67.0

Great

DST303.2

Shaky

Lineup locks: Bijan Robinson, Chuba Hubbard, Drake London, Tetairoa McMillan

Fantasy scoop: Is Year 5 the charm for Kyle Pitts? The fantasy results haven’t been spectacular (7-59-0 and 4-37-0 receiving lines), but the 24-year-old has a career-high 21% target share through two games. He’s been on the field for 78% of Atlanta’s snaps and has run a route on 82% of the team’s pass plays, both of which are also career-high marks. Pitts’ usage is enough to put him in the fringe TE1 mix, especially against a Carolina defense that has allowed a league-high 188 yards to tight ends through two games.

Shadow Report: McMillan is a good bet to draw shadow coverage from Terrell this week, assuming of course that he is able to play. Terrell, who left Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury, shadowed Mike Evans in Week 1 and has a history of traveling with most clear No. 1 perimeter receivers. That’s the case for McMillan, who has aligned out wide on 84% of his routes and leads Carolina with 19 targets (22% share). Terrell did a nice job on Evans in Week 1, but especially considering his injury, there’s minimal reason for concern here. McMillan is a fringe WR2.

Over/under: 44.6 (10th highest)
Win probability: Falcons 62% (9th highest)

Projected score: Jaguars 22, Texans 20

RANK

PLAYER

PROJ

MATCHUP

QB1516.2

Average

QB2115.8

Good

RB2412.7

Good

RB2711.9

Shaky

WR716.9

Great

WR1315.3

Average

WR4211.5

Average

WR569.2

Great

WR598.7

Average

TE188.2

Average

TE207.7

Poor

DST126.1

Good

DST185.2

Shaky

Lineup locks: Brian Thomas Jr., Nico Collins

Fantasy scoop: Nick Chubb has settled in as Houston’s clear lead back, and that was further confirmed by Dameon Pierce being a healthy scratch on Monday night. Chubb handled 12 carries and a pair of targets on 24 snaps, which allowed him to gain 72 yards and one TD. Chubb was, however, limited to 52% of the snaps (he played 49% in Week 1), deferring the other 48% to Woody Marks and Dare Ogunbowale. Chubb is running the ball fairly well, but he remains in a timeshare and without much of a role as a receiver. He’s a flex option against the Jaguars. Marks (three carries and one target in Week 2) should see an expanded role as the season progresses, especially as a receiver, so he’s not the worst end-of-bench stash.

Shadow Report: Thomas is a good bet to see Derek Stingley Jr. shadow coverage this week. Houston’s top corner traveled with Davante Adams in Week 1 and Mike Evans in Week 2, aligning against them on a combined 44 of their 49 perimeter routes. Adams managed 7.2 fantasy points and Evans was limited to 10.6. Thomas and Stingley faced off in Week 13 last season, and though Thomas had a decent fantasy day (87 scrimmage yards and one TD on five touches), he caught just two of seven targets when covered by Stingley. Thomas posted a 5-76-1 receiving line in the Week 4 meeting, though he wasn’t shadowed in that game. Thomas is off to a very slow start to 2025 (69 yards and a rushing TD on six touches), but his target share remains strong (27%). Even in a tough matchup, he should be in lineups as a fringe WR1.

Over/under: 41.1 (14th highest)
Win probability: Jaguars 57% (13th highest)

Projected score: Chargers 23, Broncos 22

Lineup locks: Ladd McConkey, Courtland Sutton, Keenan Allen

Fantasy scoop: Troy Franklin was quiet as a situational player throughout his rookie season and even in Week 1, but perhaps we saw the start of a breakout season on Sunday. The 2024 fourth-round pick played 85% of the snaps, was targeted nine times (30% share) and totaled 100 yards and one TD on nine touches. Franklin’s big game and Denver’s wide-open No. 2 WR slot are enough to make Franklin worthy of a waiver add, though it’s worth noting that he played only 58% of the snaps in Week 1. A return to irrelevance is possible, especially with Sutton, Marvin Mims, Pat Bryant and, perhaps someday, Evan Engram in the mix, but it’s also possible the second-year receiver goes down as one of the surprise breakouts of 2025. He’s a deep league flex against the Chargers.

Shadow Report: I wouldn’t call it a lock, but Quentin Johnston could draw Pat Surtain II shadow coverage this week. Surtain tends to shadow clear No. 1 perimeter targets, as he did full time against Calvin Ridley in Week 1 and part time against Michael Pittman Jr. in Week 2. Johnston might not be Los Angeles’ top target, but with McConkey and Allen in the slot so often, Johnston (81% perimeter), who has three TDs in two games, might get the Surtain treatment. We’ve seen that in the past, with Surtain shadowing Mike Williams over Allen (2022) and Joshua Palmer over McConkey (2024). Granted, Allen, Williams and Palmer were sidelined, but Surtain did shadow Johnston full time in Week 17 back in 2023, and Johnston totaled 29 yards on five targets in the game. Johnston’s strong play and Los Angeles’ pass-heavy offense are enough to keep him in the WR3 discussion, but the bust risk is higher than usual this week.

Over/under: 45 (9th highest)
Win probability: Chargers 57% (12th highest)

Projected score: Seahawks 23, Saints 17

RANK

PLAYER

PROJ

MATCHUP

QB3014.0

Good

QB3113.2

Poor

RB1815.3

Good

RB2512.5

Good

RB3011.3

Good

WR1115.5

Average

WR3412.6

Poor

WR4610.5

Average

WR5110.1

Poor

TE810.6

Great

DST47.0

Average

DST165.8

Good

Lineup locks: Alvin Kamara, Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Fantasy scoop: Week 2 gave us little additional clarity on the Seattle backfield. Zach Charbonnet remained the “1A” back and now holds an edge over Ken Walker III in snaps (64 to 43), carries (27 to 23) and routes (22 to 16), with Walker leading in targets (four to zero). Charbonnet’s lead back role hasn’t led to production, as he has totaled 57 yards and one TD on 27 carries (2.1 YPC) and has yet to see a target. Walker struggled in Week 1 but exploded for 118 yards and one TD on 14 touches in Week 2. The production very well could lead to a larger role moving forward, but keep in mind that his share of the snaps, routes and targets were all lower in Week 2 than they were in Week 1. For now, this remains a situation best avoided, but Walker’s strong showing is enough to make him the preferred RB2/flex of the two.

Shadow Report: With two weeks in the books, the Seahawks have allowed the fewest fantasy points to receivers, including the second fewest to the perimeter. Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed and the rest of the New Orleans wide receiver room should be downgraded against Riq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon (if he returns from injury) and Josh Jobe.

Over/under: 39.3 (15th highest)
Win probability: Seahawks 70% (5th highest)

Projected score: Cowboys 26, Bears 26

RANK

PLAYER

PROJ

MATCHUP

QB619.1

Great

QB918.4

Great

RB1216.2

Average

RB1616.1

Great

WR120.0

Great

WR1215.3

Great

WR2713.0

Great

WR2512.9

Great

WR658.1

Great

TE611.4

Good

DST274.1

Average

DST283.6

Poor

Lineup locks: Caleb Williams, D’Andre Swift, Javonte Williams, CeeDee Lamb, Rome Odunze, George Pickens, DJ Moore, Jake Ferguson

Fantasy scoop: Both quarterbacks in this game should be considered strong starting options, if not full-on lineup locks. Both defenses are off to horrific starts, with Dallas allowing 30.3 fantasy points to Russell Wilson and 24.3 points to Jalen Hurts, and Chicago surrendering 22.2 points to J.J. McCarthy and 34.0 points to Jared Goff. Williams sits 10th among QBs in fantasy points and fourth in rushing yards. The good matchup vaults him up the Week 3 rankings. Dak Prescott is fresh off a 361-yard effort against the Giants and is a back-end QB1 this week.

Shadow Report: Upgrade Chicago’s receivers against a Dallas defense that has allowed the third-most fantasy points to wide receivers, as well as the most to the perimeter. Odunze and Moore will see plenty of Trevon Diggs and Kaiir Elam on the boundary, with Olamide Zaccheaus facing off with DaRon Bland or, if Bland remains out, Reddy Steward in the slot. With Bland out last week, Giants slot man Wan’Dale Robinson went for 142 yards and a score on 10 targets, so Zaccheaus will be a deep sleeper if Bland remains sidelined.

Shadow Report: Chicago’s top corner, Jaylon Johnson, is out for the season and slot man Kyler Gordon missed both Weeks 1-2 with a hamstring injury. Chicago’s man-heavy defense has, in turn, allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to wide receivers. This week, Lamb and Pickens stand to benefit against Tyrique Stevenson, Nahshon Wright (Johnson’s replacement) and either Gordon or Nick McCloud. Upgrade the Dallas receivers.

Over/under: 52 (2nd highest)
Win probability: Cowboys 51% (15th highest)

Projected score: 49ers 25, Cardinals 22

RANK

PLAYER

PROJ

MATCHUP

QB1017.8

Shaky

QB2614.6

Good

RB220.8

Average

RB2213.4

Average

RB388.9

Average

WR3012.7

Average

WR3911.9

Good

WR4710.5

Good

WR727.1

Average

TE116.1

Average

DST106.3

Average

DST135.8

Good

Lineup locks: Christian McCaffrey, James Conner, Marvin Harrison Jr., Trey McBride

Fantasy scoop: Harrison is coming off a rough Week 2 outing in which he was limited to 27 yards on five targets. This, of course, comes after he posted a 5-71-1 receiving line on six targets in Week 1. Harrison’s 21% target share isn’t going to cut it for a player expected to be an elite offensive player, but the good news is that he’s been on the field for 90% of Arizona’s pass plays and overall pass volume will increase. The Cardinals haven’t had to throw much, as they’ve led on 70% of their offensive snaps (third highest), but, once adjusted for game script, they have the league’s fourth-pass-heaviest offense. Harrison needs to be better to justify “lineup lock” status, but he is worthy of WR3 status against the 49ers.

Over/under: 47 (5th highest)
Win probability: 49ers 62% (10th highest)

Projected score: Chiefs 25, Giants 21

RANK

PLAYER

PROJ

MATCHUP

QB519.9

Great

QB1716.3

Average

RB3211.0

Great

RB3410.3

Shaky

RB359.9

Shaky

RB379.3

Great

WR219.8

Average

WR4012.5

Great

WR4111.6

Average

WR5210.1

Great

TE711.2

Good

DST96.7

Shaky

DST254.2

Average

Lineup locks: Patrick Mahomes, Malik Nabers, Travis Kelce

Fantasy scoop: After Tyrone Tracy Jr. dominated the Giants’ backfield in Week 1, it was Cam Skattebo who took control last week. The rookie soaked up 11 carries and three targets on 33 snaps (18 routes), compared to five carries and five targets on 27 snaps (17 routes) for Tracy and one carry and one target on four snaps (one route) for Devin Singletary. A hot-hand approach seems to be the game plan for New York, which means neither back can be trusted this week against the Chiefs.

Over/under: 45.2 (8th highest)
Win probability: Chiefs 64% (7th highest)

Projected score: Ravens 29, Lions 26

RANK

PLAYER

PROJ

MATCHUP

QB223.6

Average

QB1316.4

Great

RB617.9

Great

RB1116.5

Average

RB2312.8

Great

RB417.0

Average

WR419.5

Average

WR1015.8

Good

WR2812.9

Average

WR559.5

Good

TE311.8

Great

TE217.5

Shaky

TE247.2

Shaky

DST293.5

Poor

DST312.7

Poor

Lineup locks: Lamar Jackson, Jahmyr Gibbs, Derrick Henry, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Zay Flowers, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta

Fantasy scoop: Mark Andrews has fallen off the fantasy radar. Once a superstar, Andrews has managed just 7 yards on four targets through two games. And that’s despite having played 78% of the snaps and with Isaiah Likely out of the lineup. Andrews figures to hit for the occasional touchdown (he had 11 in 2024), but his dwindling target share has made him unusable in fantasy. He should be buried on your bench for the time being.

Over/under: 54.6 (Highest)
Win probability: Ravens 59% (11th highest)

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September 20, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

Coinbase Breaks Down Its Token Listing Playbook: Details

by admin September 13, 2025

Three reviews
How much time is required?

Cryptocurrency exchange giant Coinbase has finally lifted the curtain on how specific tokens end up getting listed on the exchange.

The exchange has outlined a slew of criteria that range from legal compliance to the size of the token’s community.

Three reviews

Potential listing candidates have to go through three reviews (legal, compliance mitigation, and technical security).

First of all, Coinbase has to find out whether a certain token would be considered a security based on the existing legal framework. The exchange, for instance, suspended XRP trading after the SEC labeled the token as an unregistered security. However, it became available for trading once again after a district judge ruled that its secondary sales do not qualify as investment contracts.

How much time is required?

The duration of the listing process depends on several factors, such as the complexity of a token as well as the level of public interest.

It takes under 30 days for the Coinbase team to conduct a certain review.

Assets with bigger trading volumes, as well as bigger numbers of holders and stronger community sentiment, tend to enjoy a higher listing priority.

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September 13, 2025 0 comments

Esports

Mike Clay’s Playbook, Part 3: How to manage your fantasy football team post-draft

by admin September 2, 2025

Mike ClayAug 28, 2025, 06:51 AM ET
Close

OK, so your fantasy football draft is in the rearview mirror. Your team looks great. There’s no way you’re losing this title. Your work here is done, right? Wrong.

I’m in a lot of leagues, and most are against industry experts, but I’m also in a few long-running, casual leagues with college friends, family and neighbors. In both situations, there are extremely active managers and there are extremely lax managers. Some (like me) are rarely content and are tinkering with trade offers and waivers often in an attempt to get one step closer to a title. Others attack waivers only when needed (injuries and bye weeks) and are the strongest bet to commit the most heinous act of all: ignoring trade proposals (more on this later!).

As you might imagine, the active managers win at a much higher rate than the casual ones. Is it possible to simply hit on nearly every draft pick and compete for a league title? Of course. In a high-variance game like fantasy football, it happens.

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In fact, that reminds me of the infamous 2007 season in my long-running 16-team, family and friends dynasty league. With zero fantasy football acumen and only Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots and Miami Hurricanes fandom at his disposal (the perfect storm, as it would turn out), my 13-year-old brother Matt drafted Patriots Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Stephen Gostkowski, as well as Adrian Peterson and Kellen Winslow II. So, yeah, the top-scoring QB, WR and K, as well as the WR11 (Welker) and top-5 finishers at RB and TE. Matt never (or, at least, very rarely) checked his team and still started 9-0. The funny part of the story was Week 10 when the Patriots were on a bye: Matt, whose team otherwise averaged 105.3 points per week, didn’t check his lineup and lost 69-9. Having relied only on his draft while failing to add complementary producers during the season, he went on to lose in the semifinals.

On the other hand, my team (this was before my fantasy analyst days, by the way) started 0-7, leading me to shake up my roster with a few trades. I won six in a row, somehow made the playoffs and went on to win the league title. His team was way better, but (A) It’s a weekly game, and (B) fantasy points come in all shapes and sizes.

Matthew “lucked” himself into a stacked roster, but post-draft negligence cost him what should’ve been a surefire league title. How do you avoid a similar fate? Let’s take a look at strategies you can use on the trade and waiver market.

Working the trade market

Team building. Whether it’s a season-long, dynasty or keeper league, it’s an ongoing process. Many fantasy managers don’t maximize their chances at a league title because they are too content with their roster and afraid to shake things up with a trade.

Trading in fantasy is one of the most polarizing aspects of the game, as most managers seem to either be extremely aggressive or extremely quiet in the department. If you’ve been playing against the same leaguemates for a long time, I imagine you could place each of them in one of those two categories within seconds of contemplation. Understanding the philosophies, tendencies, skill levels, etc. of your leaguemates is an edge you can use when evaluating the trade market. This could be as simple as getting a Lions fan (like Daniel Dopp) to overpay for Detroit players, or as thorough as noticing that a leaguemate consistently overreacts to Week 1 and agrees to ill-advised trades.

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There are countless ways in which knowing your competition can help your cause, and sometimes it’s as simple as identifying which ones respond and which ones don’t. Or which ones are open to trading and which ones are afraid to make a move with a crippling fear of the possibility that it won’t work out. This is very real, and these managers overvalue their players so much that it’s not worth your time to even negotiate.

I mentioned that managers are generally either aggressive/active or conservative/quiet on the trade market, and I’m, without question, the former. I love trading. I love throwing out offers. I love fielding offers. The only thing better than a trade proposal alert is a trade accepted alert. Perhaps my offer gets declined, but now that manager is on the league page and maybe he/she counters, makes a waiver move or makes an offer to someone else. An active league is a great league.

One drawback to throwing out trade offers is that you’re sure to rub some people the wrong way. The fun of fantasy is that we don’t all value players the same way. Unfortunately, it’s very easy for managers to become offended — sometimes infuriated — if they believe you’re trying to rip them off. Sometimes this person will simply ignore the offer, others will reply with an “LOL,” and others will lose their cool and go on an expletive-laden tirade in the group chat. We’ve all seen it, and I’m asking you right now — please don’t be that person.

Look, if someone keeps sending you “Antonio Gibson and Brenton Strange for Nico Collins” offers, fine, I get the irritation. But in most scenarios, even if you don’t like the offer, it’s not hard to understand where the other person is coming from. Even if I get an offer I’m not considering, I’m excited by the idea of someone being open for business. If someone is higher than I am on a player on my roster, perhaps I can take advantage with a counteroffer and improve my squad. Also, the first offer is rarely the best offer. I mean, why would it be? That’s Negotiating 101. Your first offer should be fair and sensible, but it can also be a starting point. How many of you have thrown out an initial trade offer that gets accepted within minutes? Your reaction is almost always: “Oh no! What have I done? Did I just rip myself off?” We’ve all been there.

If someone tries to rip you off in a trade for Nico Collins, don’t be mad. Just be happy for the inquiry and keep the lines of communication open for future deals. Tim Warner/Getty Images

In conclusion, here are a couple tricks I use when making/considering offers:

1. When making an offer, don’t just consider what the other manager can do for you. Look closely at their roster and see if there is a void you can help them fill. Strong at wide receiver, but you need a quarterback? Instead of randomly offering deals for Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, scroll through each league roster until you find a team with two decent QBs that has a need at receiver. It makes that manager a natural trade partner and a deal significantly more likely.

2. Put yourself in the other manager’s shoes. This next one relates to my first point but focuses more on the “fairness” of your offer. Once you have a trade proposal in mind, flip the script, imagine you’re on the other side of it and think about whether you’d accept it, consider it or laugh off the offer. If it’s the latter, adjust the deal. If you think you’d at least consider it, hit that “send” button!

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3. Pick your spots. A beat writer tweets that “Player X” is unstoppable in camp and looks like he’s in line for a breakout. The initial inclination will almost always be to make a trade offer for that player, but now is not the time. Even if you’re buying the hype, wait a week or so until the industry is buzzing about someone else before making the move. On the other hand, if there’s a negative report on a player and you’re not buying it, that is the perfect opportunity to make an offer.

4. In terms of accepting offers, cure crippling trade fear with this simple trick: If someone offers you “Player A” for your “Player B” and you can’t decide what to do, imagine you already had “Player A” and were being offered “Player B.” Would you accept the deal now? I realize how simple and obvious this might seem, but it’s no secret that we’re all guilty of overrating our own players. In fact, it’s human nature. Specifically, it’s a cognitive bias called the endowment effect, in which we value an asset more when it’s in our possession than we would if it wasn’t.

5. Don’t get mad about trade offers! Even if you don’t like the offer, just be happy you have someone in your league unafraid to keep the league active by making offers.

Making the most of waivers

Last year, Sam Darnold was among the surprising waiver-wire pickups who helped fantasy teams to successful seasons. AP Photo/Abbie Parr

Waivers can be a tedious process when you manage 15 or so fantasy football teams like I have for the past decade. And yet, I still put the time into making claims in every single league.

Why? Because if I don’t, I’m putting myself at a disadvantage. Every single week, there is at least a player or two on waivers who is well worth adding to your roster, if not your starting lineup (one big injury can really shake things up in a hurry). And that goes for the weeks leading up to the season as well.

The 2024 season was actually a bit of a down year for league-winning waiver adds, but there were still plenty of needle-movers, including Jordan Mason, Bo Nix, Sam Darnold, Jauan Jennings, Wan’Dale Robinson and Zach Ertz, as well as Baker Mayfield (47.0% of teams with him on their roster made the playoffs), Jonnu Smith (42.7%) and Tyrone Tracy Jr. (41.8%). Some of you also scooped up Chase Brown (48.5%) following his extremely slow start to the season. It’s those types of players who give you a gigantic edge in your league, and you’re simply playing at a disadvantage if you fail to remain active on waivers.

Besides the common-sense “drop my worst player and add the best available player” waiver strategy, one trick you can use during the season is to drop your kicker and/or D/ST and instead hold a skill position player for a few extra days. In fact, as someone who often streams both positions, I’ll just drop my kicker and D/ST when the week is complete so they are added to the available player pool, which slightly increases my chances of getting who I want off the wire.

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For example, let’s say I use the Denver Broncos D/ST in Weeks 1-2 against the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts this season but have no interest in using it against the Los Angeles Chargers, Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles the following three weeks. I’ll cut bait right away on Tuesday. This way, one of my leaguemates might place a claim on the Broncos D/ST instead of a free agent I have on my radar.

In this scenario, unless there is an available D/ST with a terrific short-term matchup, I’d likely use the roster spot on a skill position player in an uncertain situation heading into the week. Let’s say Saquon Barkley hurt his toe two days earlier and is questionable for the upcoming week. Instead of grabbing a dime-a-dozen D/ST, I’ll go after backup Will Shipley. If Barkley plays, I just cut Shipley for a defense on Sunday. If Barkley is ruled out, I just found myself a potential starter and can place him in an IR spot (if there is room) or cut someone else for a D/ST. I most certainly use this hack more often with my kicker slot, since we know there is a ton of randomness with that position. As long as you remember to check your lineup Sunday morning, the strategy is a no-brainer.

I recommend this during the period between your draft and the start of the season, too. Even if forced to draft a kicker and D/ST, I’ll just drop them immediately afterward (assuming league rules allow it) and instead grab a high-upside insurance RB or other skill position player to keep rostered until closer to Week 1. There’s little to lose and a lot to gain (speaking as someone who fondly recalls dropping Chris Boswell and adding the legend that is James Robinson in the week leading up to Week 1 back in 2020). By the way, guys like Robinson in 2020 and Kyren Williams in 2023 are not alone: There are players like them available late in drafts or on preseason and early-season waivers every single year. If you’re active, you can butcher your draft and still claw your way to a title.

Final thoughts

Once your draft concludes, be active. Monitor NFL news and be ready to make savvy waiver moves and trade offers to load up your bench with upside. The reality is that you can do it all in 15 or so minutes per week. That might sound overly simplified, but like almost anything else in life, hard work will pay off in the long run.

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September 2, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

AI industry pledges $100m to Super PACs, copying crypto’s political playbook

by admin August 26, 2025

Tech billionaires, including Andreessen Horowitz, Greg and Anna Brockman, already pledged $100 million to change AI regulation in the U.S.

Summary

The AI industry is putting $100 million into influencing U.S. policy on AI
Andreessen Horowitz, Greg, and Anna Brockman are among the backers
The move comes after the crypto industry’s success in the November 2024 elections

The AI industry is copying the crypto playbook, hoping to shape U.S. regulation in the coming years. On Monday, August 25, a group of major AI firms and tech billionaires launched the Leading the Future platform, set to influence regulations around AI technology.

With funding that already reached $100 million, the organization will lead federal and state Super PACs, funding candidates with a pro-AI agenda and opposing others. These Super PACs will target races in both primary and general elections.

The organization will also focus on drafting policy proposals, lobbying, and rating lawmakers on their voting track record. What is more, they will also engage in public relations, aimed at changing the public’s perception of the AI industry.

Supporters of the platform include Andreessen Horowitz, Greg and Anna Brockman, AI firm Perplexity, Ron Conway from SV Angel, and Joe Lonsdale from 8VC.

AI industry copies crypto’s playbook

Leading the Future’s playbook largely reflects that of crypto groups, such as Fairshake, which was the largest Super PAC in the 2024 elections. Notably, Andreessen Horowitz was one of Fairshake’s major backers, while others included industry giants such as Coinbase, Ripple Labs.

Fairshake used more than $200 million in funding to support pro-crypto political candidates while opposing those that don’t align with the industry. By the group’s own standards, the results were a resounding success. After the November 2024 elections, over 250 pro-crypto candidates joined Congress. Most of the new pro-crypto candidates were Republicans, and the Super PAC managed to oust some long-time incumbents.

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August 26, 2025 0 comments