Answers to frequently asked NFL card questions
Patrick Stoddard
April 30, 2022
Are NFL defensive players investable?
Not really; collectors can have most NFL Hall of Fame defensive players' rookie cards in decent to high grades for under $100. Current NFL players will sell for higher prices than all-time NFL defensive greats who are still culturally relevant. I would recommend most sports card collectors shy away from defensive players.
Are NFL offensive players outside of Quarterback investable?
Current NFL Wide Receivers and Running backs typically gain hobby love for a couple of years, only to fade away and have their card prices drop. RBs have such a short shelf life that it makes their cards precarious investments. Everyone remembers Todd Gurley; he seemed like an NFL Hall of Fame lock and destined to dominate the NFL for years to come. Or even RBs like Le'Veon Bell or David Johnson. RBs usually get a lot of love from fantasy football, and their card prices will rise with fantasy football hype. Then when the RB's production begins to decline, so do their card prices.
The card market for WR seems to follow the flavor of the month. Michael Thomas and DeAndre Hopkins were regarded as the best WR in the NFL a few seasons ago; they are now essentially cardboard irrelevant. Even young prospects can get overpassed a la Justin Jefferson being overtaken by Ja'Marr Chase. WRs are tricky because their card prices will follow when they fall out of love with the NFL media.
I would invest in WRs and RBs already enshrined in the NFL Hall of Fame. Most Hall of Fame WRs and RBs from the last 30 years still have cheap, easily attainable, high-graded rookie cards.
So, are Quarterbacks usually the only cardboard-relevant NFL players to invest in?
Sadly, yes.
While some sports card influencers were pushing a train of thought that said NFL fantasy football would make non-QBs cardboard relevant. That did not materialize; QB cards still are highly sought after. In comparison, non-QB cards are relegated to the background in the sports card hobby. While non-QBs in the Hall of Fame like Walter Payton, Jim Brown, and Jerry Rice have rookie cards that sell for astronomical prices. Their cards are more the exception to the NFL sports card market, where QB cards reign supreme.
When is a good time to buy NFL rookie cards for players I want to collect?
Panini has been very behind in their release schedule since COVID-19 ensued. Panini still holds the licensing for NFL cards for the next couple of years. Most of the higher-end sports cards featuring rookies in their NFL uniforms (not their college uniforms) does not release until after the NFL season has concluded. Savvy investors of NFL rookies typically have to wait until the next class of rookies is drafted to obtain highly sought-after rookie cards they intend to collect.
Disclaimer: I'm a paying customer of Card Ladder. This content is for informational and/or entertainment purposes only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, investment, financial, or other advice.
