I probably have something in about 10-12 cryptos - and I mean, timing was everything. I cannot get over how lucky I was (ether at $10! Nem at...whatever it was in early spring lol, my favorite brag of my lone btc back at $400...less a brag and more just, amazed). I didn't read whitepapers (shame shame!) but checked forums and tried to at least get a basic grasp of each one.
You may be new - but you are a fast learner and have a natural talent for teaching/explaining. Why read a whole white paper - when I know you'll distill the important parts down and translate them to English.
I don't think I've ever even been to 2nd page of coinmarket cap, let alone 3rd (but you're so right - it's way down on the list where the less discovered gems are). As crazy as it sounds, I don't think I even stumbled into crypto back in 2013 thinking about investing...I mean kind of, I hoped they'd go up - but part of me didn't even expect them to. And plenty didn't - they were BTC knock offs - but a lot did. Of course, returns are incredible and exciting...but like you say, it's all about controlling emotions and not FOMOing too hard now that even alt coins are in mainstream headlines.
I think I saw Tron on a major news outlet the other day - that means you are probably right about it being inflated right now. Gonna check out the others you mentioned, and sources too - down the rabbit hole for me lol.
One I'm kicking myself for not putting a bit into is Sia Coin...been watching it for too long.
I think overall - cryptos are in a bubble right now (but not the end of the world bubble, bubbles are fine, normal and happen in every sector). No idea what stage though. I wish we could just catch a glimpse into the future to see if our core holdings all make it out and up - or sink!
RE: I (finally) read Bitcoins whitepaper today...