It’s almost our favorite time of the year: the 2024 NFL season is nearly upon us and card values are starting to rise in anticipation.
Whether you’re a seasoned collector or a football fan looking to explore the hobby, now’s a great time. To help prepare, we give you the Sports Card Investing NFL 2024 season preview.
The new season brings exciting potential, opportunity galore, and plenty of developing trends to anticipate.
In this article, we’ll project some storylines for 2024, look at breakout veterans to watch, rookies poised for a big year, top products, and more.
One of the best ways to make money in sports card investing is by being a big enough of a sports-junkie to follow the game and predict potential storylines for the upcoming season.
If you’re right about which teams to buy (or fade), you can build your investment portfolio around those projections. You won’t always be right about them all—even the best sports analyst misses the mark often—but it will pay off if you’re right more than you’re wrong.
Here are some of our bold predictions for the upcoming NFL season.
After years of rebuilding, the Jets finally put it all together and Aaron Rodgers stays healthy, riding an elite defense and the resurgence of their offense to win their first Super Bowl since 1969. The combination of a veteran quarterback and young playmakers propels them to the top.
Tyreek Hill surpasses Calvin Johnson’s record of 1,964 receiving yards in a season. With his speed and big-play ability, he becomes the focal point of his team’s offense, consistently making explosive plays down the field.
Micah Parsons dominates the league with a record-breaking season, tallying over 20 sacks and leading the Cowboys to a division title. His impact on every game is undeniable, earning him the MVP award.
After a disappointing 2023 season, the Bears will bounce back in 2024, making it to the NFC Championship Game. Justin Fields emerges as a top-tier quarterback, and the revamped defense becomes one of the league’s best, surprising everyone with their success.
The Lions, long considered a rebuilding team, shock the NFL by finishing the regular season as the top seed in the NFC. With a potent offense led by Jared Goff and a young, aggressive defense, Detroit becomes a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
Piggybacking off the previous, newly-paid Jared Goff has a career year, leading the Detroit Lions to their best record in decades. With a highly efficient passing game, Goff throws for over 4,500 yards and 40 touchdowns, earning him a spot in the top three for MVP voting.
His leadership and consistency make him one of the league’s most valuable players, cementing his place among the NFL’s elite quarterbacks.
Last year was the first year that Fanatics fractured NFL rookie card autographs.
The sports giant, which doesn’t have the NFL license yet and therefore can’t produce NFL cards, swiped exclusive autograph rights to three of the four biggest quarterbacks: CJ Stroud, Bryce Young and Will Levis.
As a result, those three didn’t have signed rookie cards in Panini products, and instead had signed products in some unlicensed Topps releases.
This year looks to be more of the same. Caleb Williams is signing exclusively with Panini, and that list of 2024 Draft Picks will continue to grow throughout the season. For the most up-to-date version, check Fanatics’s athlete list right here.
Panini’s insistence on making a “Draft Picks” version of every brand means most of the NFL threads uniforms aren’t coming out until many of the big questions have already been answered about the 2024 season.
In fact, there are still 2023 releases we’re awaiting while I write the 2024 guide in mid-August.
With that in mind, here’s a cautionary warning: don’t invest in draft picks cards or any new brands in 2023. The safest move you can make is to invest in the major brands.
Here are the top football products we like heading into the 2024-25 NFL season.
Tom Brady has a Contenders rookie autograph. That’s enough said about the legacy of this product. Contenders has been around for a long time and the rookie ticket autos are some of the hottest cards to collect and keep.
The chink in its armor is the “appeal factor.” This is only a set for autograph collectors – it has a very weak lineup of rookie cards and parallels outside of the autos.
Select has been around for over a decade, but it will always be the less attractive version of Prizm. It was probably intended as a more high-end Prizm offering, especially since it didn’t have a retail offering for several years, but now it has an off-colored retail set that tells collectors that Select truly isn’t sure what it wants to be.
The three tiers of football rookies within the product feel a bit complicated, too – like it’s the only product that should come with a how-to guide before opening. That said, it’s still a great collection piece and will hold nice value over time.
National Treasures had to end up in the top three. The RPAs /99 are the best rookie autographs every year, and most of the highest-selling modern sports cards of all time are National Treasures.
It’s an expensive brand, but not as wallet-breaking as Flawless, and it’s been around for long enough for everybody to know what it is and why they should want it. The only thing that keeps it from being higher on this list is the hefty price tag.
Donruss Optic was released in 2016 and has been one of the best sets ever since. It’s a chromium version of Donruss, with a wide variety of rainbow parallels that are short-printed versions of the base.
The cards look great, there are lots to collect, the rookie autographs are often on-card, and most importantly… these boxes are about 60% the price of Prizm. If you’re looking for a safe long-term hold on more of a budget, this is as good as it gets.
Prizm cards, particularly the Silver Prizm, have become the standard currency of sports card investing. The cards are iconic and rare enough that they’re hard to find but not impossible to attain. Collectively, this has made the brand the most popular annual release in sports cards since it was launched in 2012.
Want more proof that Prizm is the king of football cards? Look no further than all the optichrome brands – Optic, Select, Mosaic and more – referring to the refractors as “Prizms”.
In addition, when it comes to buying singles from these brands, don’t go for unnumbered cards (even the Prizm silver, I’d advise). Instead, chase only numbered cards, rookie autographs, and nice RPAs.
These cards will withstand the test against overprinting, which I think we’ll all realize was an issue in the early 2020s some ten years later.
For our full list on top card brands to invest in, read our guide to the Top 10 Most Reliable NFL Brands.
Quarterbacks are the best investment you can make. Not only do they have a longer career than other skills positions (if things go well, at least), but they run the show on the field and therefore demand the most value.
Here’s our top QBs to invest in for 2024.
Note, this is based on what we believe could be potential returns. Players like Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, CJ Stroud, Josh Allen, and even Herbert are already priced high enough that the potential returns are low (that doesn’t make them bad investments. Just safer ones).
Other players like Jordan Love have high ceilings, but they’re already priced uncomfortably high.
Watson was terrible last year and his cards suffered because of it, along with other circumstances.
As a result, his cards are at an all-time low. If he could look even like (I can’t believe I’m saying this) Joe Flacco last year and help the Browns win games, there could be a Deshaun Watson resurgence.
Red Flag alert: People don’t like him, and understandably.
Lawrence continues to develop under head coach Doug Pederson, and with a more experienced supporting cast, he’s poised to become one of the league’s elite quarterbacks.
Red Flag alert: His card prices are already high, but there’s still room for growth as he enters MVP conversations.
Herbert has already shown flashes of brilliance, and with an improved offensive line and weapons around him, 2024 could be the year he leaps into the elite tier. His card prices are already high, but a deep playoff run could push them even higher.
Red Flag Alert: The big concern going into the year is yet another injury that could hamper him – when was the last time he played healthy again?
After a strong comeback season in 2023 and leading the NFL in passing years, Tua is set to take the next step in 2024. With a potent offense and improved health, he could emerge as one of the top quarterbacks in the league, making his cards a strong investment.
Red Flag Alert: How much better can it get for Tua? He just got paid for long-term, but Tyreek Hill may decline at some point and Tua’s cards aren’t too valuable… even after being the NFL’s leading passer in 2023.
Goff’s strong 2023 campaign has him poised for an even better 2024. With the Lions trending upwards, Goff could finish as a top-3 MVP candidate, making his cards a great value investment.
Red Flag alert: Perhaps the least sexy quarterback investment ever, Goff tends to shy away in the most important moments and has historically struggled to play outdoors or away from home.
Richardson, the Colts’ dynamic young quarterback, has the potential to explode in his second season. His dual-threat ability makes him a highlight-reel machine, and if he can refine his game, his cards could become very valuable.
Red Flag alert: Perhaps the sexiest quarterback investment ever, Anthony Richardon’s superhero antics could get him hurt. …again.
Young struggled last year, but 2024 could be his breakout season. With a full year of experience and better pieces around him, Young has the potential to take a big leap forward, making his cards a solid buy-low candidate.
Red Flag Alert: It’s hard to have watched Young last year and think he has it, honestly. He looked too small and like a lead candidate for the next big #1 pick bust. Hopefully not – he seems like a good dude – but he’s scary to believe in. It’s now or never, and it’s just year two.
This year’s rookie class is one of the most exciting in a while. Here’s a look at some of the most promising investments.
Jayden Daniels, selected No. 2 overall by the Washington Commanders, has a significant advantage due to his exceptional athleticism, making him an immediate dual-threat quarterback.
While he may take time to fully grasp the Commanders’ offense, his rushing ability will allow him to make plays early on. Daniels also showed growth as a passer in college, with 3,812 passing yards and 40 touchdowns in his senior year, and holds a Power Five record for his low turnover rate. His versatility ensures he’ll be a playmaker from the start.
Drake Maye, the New England Patriots’ third overall pick, has the potential to become a top-10 quarterback someday… but isn’t expected to start immediately.
While his arm talent is exceptional, his processing and decision-making need refinement. The Patriots signed Jacoby Brissett as a bridge quarterback, giving Maye time to develop.
Brissett’s mentorship is already showing positive results, with Maye making progress. While Maye is likely to start in 2024, it’s less likely to happen early in the season.
Michael Penix Jr. is expected to have a slow start to his NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons, who recently signed veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins before drafting him… and shocking everybody.
With Cousins as the starter for the foreseeable future, Penix will likely spend his early years on the bench, learning and preparing for the future.
However, if Cousins faces setbacks, such as complications from his recent Achilles injury, Penix could see the field sooner. And the Falcons, with Bijan Robinson and Drake London, could have some weapons.
J.J. McCarthy, the Minnesota Vikings’ rookie quarterback, faces a variable path to starting in 2024. The Vikings plan to begin the season with Sam Darnold as the starter, and McCarthy may not see the field until later in the season, if at all.
At just 21 years old, McCarthy comes from a run-first Michigan offense, so the Vikings are giving him time to develop. However, poor play from Darnold or increased confidence in McCarthy could accelerate his timeline to start sooner.
Caleb Williams, the No. 1 overall pick by the Chicago Bears, is already the starting quarterback and a favorite for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Despite his exceptional talent, including his natural arm ability and creativity, Williams may face a transition period as he adapts to the NFL.
His decision-making and footwork need refinement, which could affect his early-season performance. With a challenging schedule ahead and no veteran backup, Williams may improve as the season progresses, but he isn’t guaranteed immediate success.
Bo Nix, the Denver Broncos’ first-round pick, stands out due to his maturity and extensive experience, having started a record 61 collegiate games.
This experience and his ability to grasp multiple systems give him an edge in transitioning to the NFL.
Head coach Sean Payton and offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi have praised Nix’s development and adaptability, noting his ability to learn from mistakes. Playing in a system that fits his skill set, Nix is well-positioned to contribute early, even if he’s not expected to be the next Drew Brees.
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32 Spot Random Team 2024 NFL Mosaic Mega 8 Box Break
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Sealed Blaster Box of 2022 Topps MLB Baseball Update Series.
Sealed box of 2019 Topps MLB Baseball Series 2 Hobby Box. 1 autograph or relic card guaranteed. Great rookie class.
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