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Sixteen women have filed civil lawsuits accusing Deshaun Watson of varying degrees of sexual assault, putting the Houston Texans quarterbacks future in doubt. Watson denied any wrongdoing in a general statement last week.

Amid the pile of lawsuits though, one that was filed late Tuesday afternoon in Harris County, Texas, could prove to be the most problematic for Watson.

It includes a potential criminal act, possible physical evidence and multiple counts of contemporaneous reporting that experts say is critical in these kinds of situations. It also mirrors many of the other allegations and potentially bolsters them due to the date of the act and the woman's real-time reporting.

This is clearly the one with the most credibility to it and clearly the one that could present criminal problems for Watson, said Craig Mordock, a New Orleans-based attorney who frequently handles sexual assault defense and has also represented victims of sexual assault in civil and criminal matters.

Much of Jane Doe 15s allegations are similar to those by other women, each of whom Watson hired to provide massages. In May of 2020, she said Watson contacted her via Instagram seeking a massage that would focus on his groin area, his glutes and his lower abdominals.

Doe 15 was surprised that a famous NFL quarterback sought her out. She alleged that she informed him that she was a licensed personal trainer, not a massage therapist. She could help with post-workout muscle therapy, but massages were not her specialty.

Watson was undeterred and scheduled her to come to his house on May 28, according to the lawsuit. She arrived and Watson led her to the theater room, where she set up before Watson returned wearing just a towel.

Doe 15 alleged in her lawsuit that when Watson eventually flipped over onto his back, the towel fell off [and] Watson was completely naked and exposed his penis to the Plaintiff. Watson also moved his penis onto Plaintiffs hand. Watson had pre-ejaculate leaking out of his penis, which got onto Plaintiffs hand. Plaintiff felt like she wanted to vomit.

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Deshaun Watson is now facing 16 civil lawsuits alleging various levels of sexual assault. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Doe 15 said she was confused and upset and chose to end the massage session. She stated she left soon after.

Watsons actions are a potential violation of 22.012 of the Texas penal code indecent assault which is punishable for up to one year in prison or a fine of $4,000.

If what happened is as its described in the lawsuit, then it is absolutely indecent assault, Mordock said.

Watson could face more serious felony sexual assault charges based on the allegations by Jane Doe No. 3 and No. 9 concerning forced oral sex, however those civil lawsuits do not indicate a level of contemporaneous reporting that Jane Doe 15 does.

When Plaintiff got home that day, the lawsuit reads, Plaintiff immediately called her mom and her best friend to tell them what happened and said she was traumatized Plaintiff also received a text message from Watson that same day asking her if she was OK. Plaintiff did not respond. For weeks afterwards, Watson repeatedly contacted Plaintiff asking if he could book her again. Plaintiff either ignored the requests or said she was too busy.

The fact that Doe 15 alleges to have told two people her mother and her best friend that very day about what allegedly happened could provide significant credibility to her claim. Her story is on the record. Both individuals could be called to testify in either a criminal or civil claim.

That is a contemporaneous report, Mordock said. It is the key to these cases. It signals that the alleged victim in the matter knew that it was severe enough that she had to tell someone right away. They knew something was wrong right away.

Then you have him following up asking if she is OK? Mordock continued. That is not a particularly good fact for Watson. And then she refuses to engage with him.

The lawsuit did not include any of the alleged direct messages or text threads between the two. There would, however, be records of any communication between them if they did in fact take place, as Jane Doe 15 alleges.

Jane Doe 15 is, as the moniker suggests, the 15th woman to file a lawsuit against Watson. All of the plaintiffs have the same attorney, Tony Buzbee, which Watsons team has suggested undermines their credibility.

While it is not known when Doe 15 contacted Buzbee, the timing of her lawsuit, a full week after Jane Doe 1 first made her allegations public, suggests she joined up after the news broke.

If that is the case, then her contemporaneous report on May 28 would potentially offer proof that she isnt just mimicking the stories of the other massage therapists. In fact, she established the story before any of them began telling very similar ones. Hers would be the first known report, and since what she told her mother and friend would be unknown to the others, it in turn makes their ensuing stories more believable.

It matches up with pretty much every other description, but she reported it in May, when she knew nothing about any other women or any other complaints and no other women knew about her, Mordock said.

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The lawsuit that could be most problematic for Deshaun Watson - Yahoo Sports

They call it max pain in the bitcoin options market: How to make ones trading counterparty suffer the most.

Although the largest cryptocurrency was changing hands Wednesday around $56,500, traders were handicapping the odds of a plunge to about $44,000 by Friday, when a record $6 billion of options contracts is set to expire.

A drop to that price level would inflict max pain on buyers of options contracts, and it might be the most profitable price point for options sellers. Its a remote risk, but not one to be discounted.

Related: IBM Ventures Further Into Crypto Custody With METACO, Deutsche Bank Tie-Ups

The max pain theory states that the market will gravitate toward the pain point while heading into the expiry. Thats because sellers typically institutions or sophisticated traders with ample capital supply often try to push the price toward the max pain point by buying or selling the asset on spot or futures markets.

The bullish spin is that if bitcoin makes it through Friday without a major correction, a major overhang will be lifted.

Max pain for the March 26 expiry is currently $44,000 on Deribit, Luuk Strijers, CCO of Deribit, the worlds largest crypto options exchange by trading volumes and open positions, told CoinDesk. That does not mean the market will move to $44,000 by the end of this week, but it does imply that after Friday this potential downward pressure no longer exists.

Max pain is calculated by adding the outstanding put and call dollar value of each in-the-money (ITM) strike price. An ITM call is one where the strike price is below the spot market price, while a put is considered ITM when the spot market price is below the put options strike price.

Related: Goldman Files to Offer Notes Linked to an ARK ETF That May Have Bitcoin Exposure

A potential unwinding of trades as Fridays expiry approaches may inject some volatility into the market, according to Pankaj Balani, co-founder and CEO of Delta Exchange.

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Carry trading, or cash and carry arbitrage, is a market-neutral strategy that seeks to profit from increasing and decreasing prices in one or more markets. It involves buying the asset in the spot market and simultaneously selling a futures contract against it when the futures contract is trading at a significant premium to the spot price. That way, savvy traders can lock in fixed returns, as the futures price converges with the spot price on the day of expiry.

We also saw a lot of carry trades this expiry as the futures premium expanded from 15% to 25% per annum earlier this year, Balani said, adding that 60% of the short futures positions opened in carry trades are yet to be rolled over to the April expiry. Rolling over short futures means carrying over bearish positions from the current expiry to the next month.

The rollover, however, may not happen if the futures premium shrinks in the next two days. In simple words, carry trades will be squared off: Short futures positions will be squared off or allowed to expire, and the long positions held in the spot market could be dumped, leading to increased price volatility.

Also read: This Ether Options Play by Institutions Has Lottery Ticket Potential

If the premium on futures shrinks, then we can see the unwinding of the carry trade, which can increase short-term volatility on expiry day, Balani told CoinDesk in a WhatsApp call.

Traders have sold puts much more aggressively in this expiry, Balani said, adding that if the market starts falling due to some reason, these short put positions will be squared off. That would add to bearish pressures around the cryptocurrency ahead of the expiry.

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Bitcoin Traders Brace for Record $6B in Options to Expire Friday - Yahoo Finance

Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors thinks he's pretty great at his job. On Tuesday's episode of the "Dubs Talk" podcast, he let everyone know, in no uncertain terms, just how great he thinks he is.

"You know, I can go all around the league and find good defenders, I just don't think any of them are as good as me," Green said. "I think I'm the best defender to ever play this game. One hundred percent. That's my opinion."

Green didn't just leave it there. He elaborated on why he thinks he's better than literally every other defender who has ever played in the NBA.

Via NBC Sports Bay Area:

"I also think I view the game a lot differently than most people view the game because I think I just see it from a different perspective. I think when you look at the things that make a good defender: Reaction time, toughness, being able to see the picture long before it develops, and most importantly, in order to finish a defensive possession, you got to rebound, and I think I rebound well.

"When I look at all the facets that make up the defensive side of the ball, I think I'm great in every facet that makes up that side of the ball. I think I'm the best defender to ever play in the NBA. I stand by that, I'd put myself up against anyone."

There was no way Green could make such a big statement and get no pushback. Tony Allen, 15-year NBA veteran and six-time of the NBA All-Defense Team, pushed back in a big way.

Then Green answered back.

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It wasn't over. Allen, who Kobe Bryant once called "the best defender I ever faced," went on "The Odd Couple" with Chris Broussard and Rob Parker to discuss Green's "best ever" statement.

Via Fox Sports:

Chris Broussard: Did it bother you that Draymond comes out and says hes the best defender ever?' "

Tony Allen: Yeah, you know it did, obviously That aint nothing you just come out and say It rubbed me the wrong way He's cut from the cloth Im cut from. Every time I see him play, I see him out there throwing his body out there, ready to get confrontational, ready to disrupt any offense by taking charges, and things of that nature. Thats what I know you for. But I ain't heard Dirk Nowitzki come out and say, 'Man, that bo, Draymond Green' I ain't heard LaMarcus Aldridge come out and say 'That boy Draymond Green' Nah, what his game is, he's already stamped. He's a champion. He's a DPOY. But when you say youre the best in the world? No, stop it Can he do that same thing if he was on the Charlotte Hornets right now?? Can he have that same impact on another team? We all know him from passing the ball to Klay, making plays, being disruptive on the defensive end, taking charges, and making the prolific scorer on the other team irritated thats his defense to the game. He aint locking in no KD the last five minutes of the game and stopping KD from scoring five or six buckets in a row to win. Thats what I call a lockdown defender. What he do is very honorable and very respectable, but as far you saying youre the best? Man, we gotta talk about this."

Well then. Allen may want to talk about it, but something tells me Green won't want to hear what he has to say.

Draymond Green thinks he's the best defender of all-time, but not everyone agrees with him. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

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Draymond Green thinks he's 'the best defender to ever play in the NBA,' but Tony Allen disagrees - Yahoo Sports

USC entered the NCAA tournament boasting the Pac-12's most efficient defense.

When it brought an offense to match, Kansas didn't stand a chance.

No. 6 seed USC smothered No. 3 seed Kansas on both sides of the floor Monday, handing the Jayhawks their worst-ever NCAA tournament loss, 85-51. Their previous worst effort was a 60-42 loss to Indiana in the 1940 national title game.

The win caps a dominant weekend for the Pac-12, which sends four of its five entrants in the tournament to the Sweet 16. USC joins UCLA, Oregon and Oregon State in the tournament's second weekend. Only Colorado, which lost to Florida State on Monday, was eliminated.

Evan Mobley looked every bit the part of an NBA lottery pick against Kansas. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

USC punched Kansas out of the gate en route to a 40-21 halftime lead. It kept its foot on the gas in the second half of a game where Kansas did not compete. The Trojans were powered by the Mobley brothers who put on a clinic on both sides of the floor.

Freshman center Evan Mobley, a projected NBA lottery pick who swept the Pac-12's individual awards, was a force in the post with 10 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks. He added five assists.

Sophomore forward Isaiah Mobley led the scoring effort with 17 points to go with eight rebounds and four assists. He paced a red-hot shooting effort, hitting 4-of-5 3-pointers.

The Trojans shot lights-out from the field, connecting on 57.1% of their field goals. They were even better from deep, hitting 11-of-18 (61.1%) attempts. And their defense was arguably better.

USC held Kansas to a 29% shooting clip from the field. Marcus Garrett, with 15 points, was the only Jayhawk to score in double figures.

All Big-12 forward David McCormack rejoined the starting lineup Monday after posting 22 points and nine rebounds off the bench in his return from a bout with COVID-19 in Saturday's opening round win over Eastern Washington. He was a non-factor in 22 minutes with five points and four rebounds.

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Jalen Wilson returned to the lineup in a limited role while Tristan Enaruna remained sidelined by the same round of COVID-19 that forced Kansas out of last week's Big 12 tournament. But it's hard to imagine Kansas at full force standing a chance on Monday. USC was simply in another league.

The win sets up a Pac-12 showdown with Oregon in next weekend's Sweet 16, ensuring that the conference's stellar run will continue with at least one team in the Elite Eight.

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USC, Mobley brothers hand Kansas its worst-ever NCAA tournament loss - Yahoo Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) Kawhi Leonard scored 25 points, Terance Mann added a season-high 21 and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied from a 22-point deficit in the second half to snap the Atlanta Hawks' eight-game winning streak with a 119-110 victory Monday night.

Luke Kennard made all eight of his shots and scored all of his season high-tying 20 points in the second half for the Clippers, who fell behind 88-66 in the third quarter shortly after a frustrated coach Ty Lue put in a small lineup of five reserves.

''With the team that we have, we know that we're capable of making some comebacks,'' Kennard said.

With Mann and Kennard spurring the comeback, Los Angeles ended the game on a dominant 53-22 run.

''I think we realized over the past few games that energy is one of the things that works for us,'' said Mann, who scored 11 points in the fourth quarter. ''When we're hustling, rebounding the ball and showing personality, it's made us open up our eyes.''

Trae Young had 28 points and eight assists, and John Collins scored 23 points in the Hawks' first loss of March, and their first under new coach Nate McMillan. Atlanta's winning streak was its longest since January 2015.

''I thought we just started celebrating,'' McMillan said. ''They made some adjustments, they went small, and we just lost our focus and didn't finish this game. ... We lost our composure.''

After Lue emptied his bench because he said he was ''looking for life,'' a lineup without All-Stars Leonard and Paul George shockingly trimmed the deficit to single digits. George finished with a season-low eight points, but the Clippers didn't need him.

''I think it's definitely one of the most fun games I've been a part of in my basketball career,'' Kennard said. ''That's top two, if not at the top. The group that was in, and then just hearing the guys on the sidelines, the way they were cheering us on as we made that run, that's what it's all about.''

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After Mann hit the tying layup with 4:25 to play, he drilled a 3-pointer with 2:42 left to give Los Angeles its first lead of the second half.

Leonard's decisive 3-pointer with 1:23 left capped a 50-20 surge by the Clippers, and the superstar added another on the next possession for a flourish on the stunned Hawks.

''We've gone through this before,'' Young said. ''We've done a great job recently of closing out games. You're not going to be perfect all season, but it felt like we had a real good chance of closing this one out.''

TIP-INS

Hawks: Danilo Gallinari was whistled for a flagrant foul on Mann in the third quarter. Gallinari then missed the fourth quarter with a left knee bruise, McMillan said. ... Young hit five of their 12 3-pointers and had four of their seven turnovers.

Clippers: They traded Mfiondu Kabengele to Sacramento during the game. Mann's collegiate teammate at Florida State appeared in 35 games over two seasons with LA. ... LA again played without two regular starters. Patrick Beverley has missed five straight games with right knee soreness, and Serge Ibaka has missed the last four due to lower back tightness.

NIGHT OF THE HUNTER

De'Andre Hunter scored eight points in 21 minutes for Atlanta in his first game since Jan. 29. He missed 23 games while recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery.

''He went out there and played good,'' Young said. ''I know he was trying to get into a rhythm. He got a couple of shots to go down, and it was good to see.''

Hunter averaged 17.2 points and 5.4 rebounds in his first 18 games. McMillan said Hunter is on a minutes restriction for now.

LUUUUKE

Kennard got a $64 million extension in the offseason, but had played only 64 minutes in the last 10 games. He shook off any rust with a dazzling effort against the Hawks, hitting four 3-pointers while adding seven rebounds and four assists without a miss.

''Luke is a bucket,'' Mann said. ''He can get to it, and it was great to see.''

Kennard even banked in a 3-pointer from halfcourt at the third-quarter buzzer to cap his 13-point quarter.

''When that deep shot went in from halfcourt, I said, `Shoot, you know what? Let's just keep this momentum going,''' Kennard said. ''A 20-point (deficit) seems like a lot, but we just chipped away.''

UP NEXT

Hawks: At Kings on Wednesday.

Clippers: At Spurs on Wednesday.

---

More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports

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Reserves lead Clippers' huge rally to 119-110 win over Hawks - Yahoo Sports

LAS VEGAS Francis Ngannou is the man nobody in the UFC really wants to fight. Theyll fight him if they have to, if it leads to a title shot or if he is champion and the belt is on the line, but there is no heavyweight in the mixed martial arts world who wants to fight Ngannou just for fun.

If there is such a thing as fear among the people who are willing get punched and kicked in the head for a living, then Ngannou is the most feared guy in the sport.

That, however, seems a bit backward.

Shouldnt the most feared guy be the one who handled Ngannou easily when they last met, who is widely regarded as the greatest heavyweight in the history of the sport? Shouldnt the feared guy be the one youre most likely to lose to and not the one most likely to give you a concussion?

If the guy who has long been considered the greatest heavyweight in UFC history could be underrated, then Stipe Miocic is underrated. Heck, even after drubbing Ngannou at UFC 220, winning all five rounds and making him look amateurish at times, Miocic goes into the rematch on Saturday in the main event of UFC 260 at Apex as the betting underdog. At BetMGM, Miocic is +110 to win and Ngannou is -135.

[New ESPN+ members can bundle UFC 260 with one year of ESPN+ for $89.98]

Its perplexing given all that Miocic has accomplished, including five wins over four men who once held the UFC heavyweight title, but its the last thing that Miocic cares about.

Hes the guy who would rather be Clark Kent than Superman, and fade into the background and remain unnoticed while others are recognized on the street and become media darlings.

Miocic is 20-3 overall in MMA and 14-3 in the UFC. Hes 6-1 in title fights, has won three Fight of the Night bonuses among nine overall fight night bonuses and has become a reliable pay-per-view draw.

Yet hes an underdog against a guy he dominated and he doesnt have the high-profile among the fan base that numerous other, less accomplished fighters have gained.

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To Miocic, though, its all about winning and paying the bills. Hes not trying to scare any fans away, but if youre not enamored with him for any reason, hes not about to try to win you over. Hell accept it and save his worries for his daughter, Meelah, and wife, Ryan.

Stipe Miocic celebrates after his victory over Daniel Cormier in their UFC heavyweight championship bout during UFC 252 at UFC APEX on Aug. 15, 2020, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

He accepts hell face a better, more polished Ngannou than he saw last time, when he thrashed the big man in Boston. But if Ngannou expects to see the same old Miocic, well, the champ says he has another thing coming.

Hes definitely gotten a lot better, Miocic said in an interview with Yahoo Sports. We evolve in this sport. Its part of the game. If you dont evolve, youre not going to keep up. Hes definitely evolved. Hes worked on his striking, hes getting better on the ground and hes gotten better at everything. But so have I. I know Im getting older, but Ive gotten better. I feel way better and I feel great.

He referenced his age, and while in the past 38 would be considered old for a fighter, there are more and more fighters who succeed well into their 40s.

So Miocic has no interest in walking away soon. It provides a great living for his family on top of the income his work as a fireman brings in, but its telling the way he answered when asked why he continues to fight at this age.

There is nothing left to prove and no more mountains to climb. To Miocic, though, the answer is simple.

I like winning, he said. Winnings fun. I like competition. It keeps me going and it keeps me young.

Fighting Ngannou would cause enough stress to take years off the average mans life, but Miocic is far from average. Ngannou is a threat because of his incredible punching power, and hes proven repeatedly that he has the ability to end a fight with one punch.

Two of Miocics three losses came via knockout, so he is vulnerable in that sense, but thats also the heavyweight game. Any of the top heavyweights in the UFC have the ability to score a knockout with one shot if they connect correctly.

But Miocic takes it better than most. When youve been in the cage with strikers like Ngannou, Junior dos Santos, Alistair Overeem and Mark Hunt, among others, you have to be able to take it or you wont be collecting a paycheck very long.

Taking a shot is just one of the many things that Miocic can do, and do very well.

Just dont expect to hear him boast about any of it.

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For underrated Stipe Miocic, its all about winning and paying the bills - Yahoo Sports

A popular tourist beach has been left choked with debris after heavy storms across NSW.

Old wheels, a gas bottle and even a fridge could be seen washed up along the sand on Wednesday morning at Patonga, on the NSW Central Coast.

The small coastal town, which has seen an influx of tourists over summer, was quiet today except for a few locals surveying the damage, and taking photographs of a large water tank bobbing close to the shoreline.

An image from before the wild weather in contrast with (right) the beach this morning. Source: Central Coast Council / Michael Dahlstrom

A local man, Anthony, told Yahoo News Australia that while there have been flooding events affecting the town before, he could see a lot more timber and rubbish than on previous occasions.

"I guess that's just part of life now when we have these sorts of floods," he said.

"The locals have been down doing a bit of cleaning up."

Images of the debris have been shared across social media, with many dismayed at the mess.

A water tank and a fridge washed up at Patonga. Source: Michael Dahlstrom

OMG nightmare, wrote one person.

Thats terrible, said another respondent.

Others said they felt sorry for the people living along the Hawkesbury River, which leads into Patonga, who have had their possessions washed away.

Much of the waste caught in the natural debris appeared to be packing foam, with takeaway containers and some fishing gear mixed in.

Microplastics expert Dr Scott Wilson told Yahoo News Australia that while beaches inundated with rubbish across NSW could be cleaned, tiny remnants will remain in the sand and continue to break up into smaller pieces.

Dr Wilson, the research director at the Australian Microplastics Assessment Project (AUSMAP), said his team are documenting the abundance of microplastics on beaches, and they have found large amounts of polystyrene.

While many uses of the substance will be banned by the federal government from the middle of next year, it is so prevalent in our ecosystem that it will likely wash up during flood events for years to come.

Microplastics will likely remain in the sand despite the eventual clean-up. Source: Michael Dahlstrom

Dr Wilson said much can be understood about the products people are using by what washes up on beaches.

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It's a snapshot of what we as a society are doing and using, but also the activities going on in the catchment, he said.

For instance if youre seeing a lot of fishing debris then it tells you theres quite a bit of that activity going on in that local area.

Central Coast Council has been contacted for comment.

While Patonga has been impacted by flooding before, some locals have noted more plastic on the beach this year. Source: Michael Dahlstrom

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.

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'Wheels, tyres and a tank': Tourist beach littered with flood debris - Yahoo News Australia

We're finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.

The 2020 Friends & Family Draft was about 12 months ago, at a dark time. We weren't even sure if there would be a season. We ultimately watched a quirky 60-game sprint, later in the summer, and hashed out a roto season that was fun but not fully satisfying.

Back to the present. We're looking at six months, 162 games, and a fresh and fun season awaits. With that in mind, we assembled 16 managers and put the Yahoo Friends & Family League back into play, drafting this past Wednesday.

It's a 5x5 rotisserie league, with a transaction cap of 70. You can make roster moves every day.

It's Year 17 for this group. The Yahoo peeps have won nine titles, the guests seven. Who would you bet on this year?

Rosters and commentary follow. Follow us, fade us, learn from our mistakes, or drive into the same ditches. The choice is yours. Say hello to one new manager, Steve Psihogios of Yahoo Canada.

And away we go.

D.J. Short - NBC Sports

1. (1) Jacob deGrom (NYM - SP)

2. (32) Luis Robert (CWS - OF)

3. (33) Corey Seager (LAD - SS)

4. (64) Pete Alonso (NYM - 1B)

5. (65) Kenta Maeda (Min - SP,RP)

6. (96) Jeff McNeil (NYM - 2B,3B,OF)

7. (97) Ryan Pressly (Hou - RP)

8. (128) Ke'Bryan Hayes (Pit - 3B)

9. (129) Frankie Montas (Oak - SP)

10. (160) Jake Cronenworth (SD - 1B,2B,SS)

11. (161) Jarred Kelenic (Sea - OF)

12. (192) James McCann (NYM - C)

13. (193) Justin Turner (LAD - 3B)

14. (224) Greg Holland (KC - RP)

15. (225) Germn Mrquez (Col - SP)

16. (256) David Peralta (Ari - OF)

17. (257) Brandon Nimmo (NYM - OF)

18. (288) Justus Sheffield (Sea - SP)

19. (289) Nick Wittgren (Cle - RP)

20. (320) Tarik Skubal (Det - SP)

21. (321) Starlin Castro (Was - 2B,3B)

22. (352) Jurickson Profar (SD - 2B,OF)

23. (353) Mike Brosseau (TB - 1B,2B,3B,OF)

24. (384) Scott Barlow (KC - RP)

25. (385) Jonathan Schoop (Det - 2B)

26. (416) Odbel Herrera (Phi - 2B,OF)

D.J. Short, NBC Sports: Picking Jacob deGrom at No. 1 overall might be polarizing, but I thought I would be at too much of a disadvantage SP-wise when the board came back to me. Making up ground in homers and steals felt easier to me than finding that true no doubt fantasy ace. I think it was the right move given how my draft played out, though Im going to need some more steals at some point. I took some big swings in this draft with the likes of Luis Robert and Jarred Kelenic and Ill probably need them to pay off to make a real run. Still, I like this team a lot more than I probably have any right to.

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Steal of the Draft: Whit Merrifield at No. 51 overall. With his rebound on the steals front last year, I think he should be going at least one round earlier. That Royals lineup is pretty interesting too.

Reach of the Draft: Alex Colome at 102 stood out to me as a potential reach, as Twins manager Rocco Baldelli doesnt plan to go into the season with a primary closer. His main competition for saves, Taylor Rogers, didnt go until pick No. 207. I dont think theres a ton of separation between them.

Razzball - Donkey Teeth

1. (2) Fernando Tatis Jr. (SD - SS)

2. (31) Blake Snell (SD - SP)

3. (34) Eloy Jimnez (CWS - OF)

4. (63) Aroldis Chapman (NYY - RP)

5. (66) Gleyber Torres (NYY - 2B,SS)

6. (95) Anthony Rizzo (ChC - 1B)

7. (98) Giancarlo Stanton (NYY - OF)

8. (127) Tommy Pham (SD - OF)

9. (130) Charlie Morton (Atl - SP)

10. (159) Dylan Carlson (StL - OF)

11. (162) Craig Kimbrel (ChC - RP)

12. (191) Jorge Polanco (Min - SS)

13. (194) Andrew Heaney (LAA - SP)

14. (223) Jake Odorizzi (Hou - SP)

15. (226) Andrew Vaughn (CWS - 1B)

16. (255) James Paxton (Sea - SP)

17. (258) Kolten Wong (Mil - 2B)

18. (287) Bryan Reynolds (Pit - OF)

19. (290) Joey Votto (Cin - 1B)

20. (319) Robbie Ray (Tor - SP)

21. (322) Daulton Varsho (Ari - C,OF)

22. (351) Maikel Franco (Bal - 3B)

23. (354) Jos Quintana (LAA - SP)

24. (383) Evan White (Sea - 1B)

25. (386) Garrett Crochet (CWS - RP)

26. (415) Gregory Soto (Det - SP,RP)

Donkey Teeth, Razzball: Last year was my first season in this prestigious league and I learned a few things or at least I hope I learned a few things! Chasing saves last year with all the scavengers in this league was a nightmare made even scarier by the very limited league transactions allowed (only 70 per team for the entire season). So I bit the bullet and ponied up a fourth-round pick for Aroldis Chapman.

The strict moves limit also forces a premium on starting pitching since we can only cycle through so many arms from the waiver wire. I didn't love having to reach by spending pick No. 31 on Blake Snell, but he was the last of a tier based on my rankings. Like the age old saying goes, "When in Yahoo, do as the Yahooeans do."

Steal: Bobby Witt Jr. (18th round, Pick 285, Patrick Daugherty). Witt was at the top of my queue for several rounds but I kept kicking the can since I had already gambled on Andrew Vaughn. If Witt happens to break camp with the Royals big league club, there's a great chance he's a top 100 player this year with the possibility of much more.

Reach: Aaron Nola (1st round, Pick 14, Steve Psihogios). Even with the huge pitching premium in this draft, I can't get behind Nola in the first round.

Y! - Dalton Del Don

1. (3) Gerrit Cole (NYY - SP)

2. (30) Brandon Woodruff (Mil - SP)

3. (35) Tyler Glasnow (TB - SP)

4. (62) Javier Bez (ChC - SS)

5. (67) Yon Moncada (CWS - 3B)

6. (94) Kenley Jansen (LAD - RP)

7. (99) Byron Buxton (Min - OF)

8. (126) Victor Robles (Was - OF)

9. (131) Kevin Gausman (SF - SP,RP)

10. (158) Travis d'Arnaud (Atl - C,1B)

11. (163) C.J. Cron (Col - 1B)

12. (190) Nick Senzel (Cin - OF)

13. (195) Kyle Schwarber (Was - OF)

14. (222) Miguel San (Min - 1B,3B)

15. (227) Jake McGee (SF - RP)

16. (254) Myles Straw (Hou - SS,OF)

17. (259) Chris Taylor (LAD - 2B,SS,OF)

18. (286) Mauricio Dubn (SF - 2B,SS,OF)

19. (291) Justin Upton (LAA - OF)

20. (318) Alex Reyes (StL - RP)

21. (323) Brandon Belt (SF - 1B,OF)

22. (350) A.J. Puk (Oak - RP)

23. (355) Lorenzo Cain (Mil - OF)

24. (382) Kyle Crick (Pit - RP)

25. (387) Corey Knebel (LAD - RP)

26. (414) Brandon Workman (ChC - RP)

Dalton Del Don, Yahoo: Ive been going pitching-heavy in all my leagues this year. Its a bit different in this format with 16 teams and an innings limit, but I think the strategy worked mostly the same. Yahoos position eligibility being so generous certainly helps.

I raised an eyebrow when Mark Melancon went in round 8 given the crowded bullpen situation in San Diego, but Laz followed that up a few rounds later by swooping Shohei Ohtani (Batter) when I had my heart set on him. Ohtani becomes more valuable in daily formats, and hes looked terrific this spring. The Angels have the best park in baseball for lefty power, will no longer use a humidor this season, and Ohtani will run too. He was an absolute steal here.

Starting pitching was in high demand early, including Gerrit Cole coming off the board with the third overall pick. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

NBC Sports - Patrick Daugherty

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Fantasy Baseball: Steals, reaches and takeaways from the 2021 Friends and Family draft - Yahoo Sports

Special to Yahoo Sports

With March Madness here, some hoop-heads may shift their focus away from fantasy basketball to their beloved (and not-yet-busted) brackets. Should that be the case for opposing teams in your league, the waiver wire would provide an excellent opportunity to get ahead of the game or gain some ground.

There have only been nine nights of games since the NBA All-Star break. For the sake of avoiding repetition, this weeks article wont feature any of the players mentioned in my two most recent pieces.

Ingles poured in career highs of 34 points and eight treys, to go along with five boards, two assists and two steals across 33 minutes in Thursdays loss to the Wizards. Already extremely efficient in previous seasons, this year Ingles has taken his game to another level in that regard, sporting career-high shooting percentages from the field (53.4% FG), beyond the arc (48.0% 3PT), and the charity stripe (87.8% FT). Despite a slight reduction in playing time (26.7 MPG) compared to the last three campaigns, Ingles remains a steady source of counting stats, with per-game averages of 12.0 points, 4.3 dimes, 3.5 boards, 2.6 threes (career high), 0.5 steals and 0.3 blocks through 36 appearances. He isnt quite as valuable when Mike Conley is in the lineup, but Ingles should still be rostered in most leagues.

Joe Ingles needs to be rostered in more fantasy baseketball leagues. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Beyond the first four games of the season, Bogdanovic has been either injured or disappointing. On Thursday night, however, he went off for a season-high 23 points (9-14 FG, 5-9 3Pt) while chipping in six boards and three assists across 29 minutes. Picking up a talented player with a somewhat-proven track record often pays off, and the 28-year-old wing was a well-rounded offensive contributor over the previous two seasons.

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Brown burst onto the scene against the Bulls earlier this week, exploding for 20 points, 16 rebounds and five rejections in 30 minutes. If Al Horford, who was held out of that game, is traded prior to the March 25 deadline, Brown would likely stand to benefit the most given that hes the only young traditional big man on the roster. Isaiah Roby (9% rostered) and Kenrich Williams (3% rostered) would probably get a bump, as well, especially since Darius Bazley (shoulder) is without a clear timetable to return.

Martins highlight dunks, blocks, and overall energy level have been quite a sight for sore-eyed Rockets fans amidst an 18-game losing streak. Following a lengthy absence that has coincided with the losing streak, Christian Wood (ankle) recently rejoined the rotation. However, for one game at least, it didnt stifle Martin, who produced 13 points and nine rebounds in 30 minutes against the Warriors on Wednesday.

Howard has posted a double-double in consecutive contests, as well as in three of the last five games, hes still a sturdy rim protector (nine blocks in the last six matchups). Hell hurt your teams free-throw percentage a bit, but Howard is absolutely worth adding while Joel Embiid (knee) is out for at least the next couple of weeks.

Detroit is clearly committed to developing its young talent, and Bey has reached double figures in scoring during 15 of his last 17 appearances. Furthermore, Bey has now amassed at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in the same game three times following Wednesdays showing against the Raptors, in which the rookie turned in 28 points (8-14 FG, 6-10 3Pt, 6-6 FT), 12 rebounds, two assists and two steals across 39 minutes. If you can deal with some subpar shooting nights, Bey figures to be heavily involved for the remainder of the year. And while were discussing Pistons wings, Josh Jackson (28% rostered) is also worthy of consideration.

Burks has managed double-digit point totals in five straight games and pitched in 21 points, 10 rebounds, two dimes and one block in 33 minutes during Thursdays win over the Magic. With Derrick Rose (protocols), Elfrid Payton (hamstring) and Immanuel Quickley (ankle), among others, sidelined, Burks is a good short-term option. He also has some long-term upside if the Knicks dont make any major moves prior to the trade deadline, given New Yorks place in the standings and coach Tom Thibodeaus tendency to rely on veterans.

Poole splashed a career-high six treys in Wednesdays win over the Rockets. Golden State is starved for scoring when Stephen Curry (tailbone) sits, and hes listed as doubtful for Fridays game against the Grizzlies. Across the last five matchups, Poole has averaged 19.0 points (54.0% FG, 45.9% 3PT, 83.3% FT), 3.4 threes, 2.2 assists, 1.8 rebounds, 0.6 steals and 0.2 blocks in 22.6 minutes. Whether you subscribe to the hot hand theory or not, at the very least Poole makes for an intriguing short-term add.

Satoransky recently replaced Coby White in Chicagos starting five, since which the Bulls have won back-to-back games. Satoransky combined to log 65 minutes across these last two starts, and he has handed out exactly seven dimes in three consecutive contests. Another solid night or two and Satoranskys rostered percentage is likely to shoot up significantly. Assists can be especially hard to come by on the waiver wire, and Satoranskys well-rounded stat profile should afford him decent value in most leagues if he keeps earning such substantial playing time.

Green continues to earn plenty of run as a small-ball big, as hes a much more versatile defender than DeAndre Jordan at this stage of their careers. Green has earned at least 30 minutes in three straight showings, and while he remains inconsistent overall, hes not a bad option for those in deeper formats while Kevin Durant (hamstring) remains out.

Phoenixs starting five has been in a bit of a funk lately, but Sarics play off the bench has helped weather the storm. Since the calendar turned to March, Saric has been a steady source of scoring (12.8 PPG) and rebounding (5.3 RPG) and could be a decent add in deeper leagues.

Stewart has connected on at least 60 percent of his field-goal attempts in nine of the last 10 games, the lone exception being a four-of-seven (57.1% FG) showing against the Nets last weekend. Across the last nine games, Stewart has averaged 8.1 points (62.5% FG, 75.0% 3PT, 50.0% FT), 7.3 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, 1.1 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.3 threes across 22.0 minutes. His offensive efficiency and per-minute production have been very impressive of late, and if the rookies role becomes more demanding as the year continues, hell have a good chance to prove useful in more than just deep leagues.

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Fantasy Basketball Waiver Wire: Breaking up adds into three tiers - Yahoo Sports

HOUSTON An attorney for 12 women claiming to be victims of sexual assault at the hands of Deshaun Watson said in a Friday news conference that his office has been informally contacted by the Houston Police Department and will be turning over information regarding the alleged incidents.

That claim came from Tony Buzbee a Houston attorney representing at least 12 different women filing civil lawsuits against Watson on the same day when Watsons NFL agent, David Mulugheta, stated that victims of sexual assault and victims of fabricated stories should both be heard and have justice. Mulughetas tweet appeared aimed at Buzbee, who has been seeking alleged sexual assault victims while filing seven civil suits against Watson this week. Buzbee said another five suits will be filed in the coming days against Watson, while Mulugheta appeared to suggest an element of fabrication was amidst.

Sexual assault is real, Mulugheta tweeted. Victims should be heard, offenders prosecuted. Individuals fabricate stories in pursuit of financial gain often. Their victims should be heard, and those offenders also prosecuted. I simply hope we keep this same energy with the truth.

Thats the strongest statement made by Watsons camp since the first of Buzbees seven suits were filed late Tuesday night, when Watson himself declared the move an attempt to extract a settlement and vowed to clear his name. Watson also retained high-profile Texas trial attorney Rusty Hardin.

Im extremely proud to represent Deshaun Watson and wholly stand behind him against what we believe are meritless allegations," Hardin said in a statement. "However, we will wait to comment in detail until weve completed our review of the numerous, evolving allegations from Mr. Buzbee. We will respond next week and ask you to keep an open mind until we do so.

Through the first seven civil filings, the alleged incidents one of which Buzbee says happened this month described by the women varied in details but all shared an underlying theme of alleging that Watson reached out to book personal massage services and then sexualized the sessions in a way that included some degree of assault. One woman alleges Watson forced her to perform oral sex, while others describe being touched by his genitals. One states that Watsons alleged behavior escalated to an attempted forcible kiss of a woman. Six of the first seven suits describe the encounters as one-time events, while a seventh describes being assaulted on two different occasions.

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The suits all seek trial by jury and a period of discovery, as well as unspecified damages tied to the alleged mental and physical strain on the women stemming from the incidents.

While the identities of the alleged 12 victims have been withheld, Buzbee described the women as a diverse group of African American, Latina and white women, including some who are married or engaged. The attorney also noted that several are single mothers with small masseuse businesses. Buzbee said the dozen women did not know each other and also added that a total of 22 women have come forward to speak with his office about Watson but that as of Friday, the law firm was able to vet 12 and file suits. Buzbee said the firm was continuing a dialogue with the remaining 10, with decisions about potential filings involving those women to follow.

Buzbee said Friday that he had been contacted by NFL investigators but not the Texans. He also said that he does not believe any of the women attempted to file charges against Watson in relation to the incidents, but that he was contacted by a member of the Houston Police Department in an informal manner and planned to turn over information related to the cases.

Sources from the Houston Police Department and Harris County District Attorneys office each said that there are currently no open investigations or pending charges against Watson, although a source from the HPD said that an investigation could be opened depending on the willingness of Buzbees clients to speak with authorities about pursuing charges.

Asked about the alleged victims having previously sought out police involvement, Buzbee responded, Not that I know of. Thats going to be our next step.

Ive only been reached out to informally by an individual with the Houston Police Department that Im familiar with, Buzbee said. I wouldnt say a friend, but certainly somebody I know. Our intention is to put together a package and send it to the police department. Were going to get all the [civil] lawsuits on file first, put together a package, submit it to the police department. Were not sure not every victim may want to come forward.

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As Deshaun Watsons agent sounds off, an attorney for 12 alleged victims says info will be turned over to police - Yahoo Sports