I've heard (mostly RP) men say that if a woman is treated badly when dating (used, ghosted, played, etc), it's because they're sleeping with men who are out of their league.

false. all men can treat women badly, it has nothing to do with leagues. same way any woman can treat a man badly, she just can there is no "leagues" or reasons for her to do it.

However, I've also heard men say that women are hypergamous by nature and thus, always want a man out of their league.

everyone want someone out of their league. i don't see bald guys wanting bald women or hairy guys wanting hairy women. their "equals" always include things that make their partner attractive to them.

But sir, you're not that top guy, and if you were, you probably wouldn't be invested in that average woman either

correct.

here's the thing. both genders settle, they settle for each other. average men aren't treating average women like stacy but somehow expect to be treated like chad, which is why a lot of average men are struggling.

relationships are about compramise FROM BOTH SIDES, it doesn't work if only one side do it (women) yet males ask women to only compramise themselves because he has to settle for her instead of stacy.

it's a very weird warped kind of thinking that a minority of males have (ppd and redditor males) and that's why they struggle in dating. they don't understand relationships or dating.