The NFL 50: Ranking the most collectible players in pro football

The NFL is back in a big, big way.

The Ravens and Bills staged an all-time classic on Sunday Night Football. Micah Parsons triumphed in his Packers debut. Aaron Rodgers and Pete Carroll won their first games in new places. And somehow the three-time defending AFC champion Chiefs are alone in last place.

While Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson gave us plenty to debate about the title of the league's best player, cllct wants to know who the most collectible players in the game are right now.

So, we looked at the last year of card sales and came up with a formula to rate the 50 most important players to the hobby.

Let's take a look at the full list.

Methodology: This ranking was created using total sales volume, according to data tool Market Movers, and total grading submissions, as tracked by GemRate, over the last 365 days. Sales volume and grading volume for each player were combined into a composite score to determine their overall collectability. With this formula, the lowest score is best.

1. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders QB: 2

No, Daniels isn’t the best quarterback in football. But for many, collecting is as much about potential as it is about reality, and Daniels is packed with the former.

Daniels has been by far the best-selling NFL player over the last 365 days, with more than 200,000 total sales logged by Market Movers. The second-most over that time period is Bo Nix, with more than 109,000.

The Commanders quarterback has been the most submitted football player over the last year, too, with grading tracker GemRate logging more than 230,000 graded cards for Daniels across the major authenticators. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has been the second-most graded over that time period with a little more than 117,000 cards.

To date, the highest recorded sale for Daniels is the $500,000 paid in a private transaction for his 2024 Panini Prizm Black Finite 1/1 in July, according to Card Ladder’s database.

2. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos QB: 5

The 12th overall pick and sixth quarterback taken in the 2024 NFL Draft, Nix entered his rookie season with a little less collectible interest than his peers.

His early results were undeniable — he passed for 3,775 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions — and the hobby quickly adjusted course.

Nix has the second-most sales tracked by Market Movers over the last year and the third-most graded cards, which adds up to a second-place finish here.

The high-end market has delivered for Nix as well, with his current record the $97,600 paid for his 2024 Panini Prizm Black Finite 1/1 at Goldin in May.

According to Card Ladder, Nix has already had four sales top $50,000 and more than 30 eclipse $10,000 or more.

T3. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans QB: 8

Much like Daniels, an explosive rookie season carried Stroud’s market for months, while several peers from his draft class faded from the hobby spotlight.

Stroud’s sophomore season was strong, but the Texans didn’t take the necessary leap in the postseason to keep collectors buzzing at the same intensity. Still, he has remained one of the most popular players in the market with the second-most graded cards and sixth-most sales over the last year.

Stroud’s record public sale to date is the $72,000 paid for his 2023 Absolute Green Kaboom at Sotheby’s in September 2024.

T3. Drake Maye, New England Patriots QB: 8

Of the players at the top of this list, Maye is likely the most speculative, with collectors hoping New England completes a successful rebuild following the departures of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.

So far, the results aren’t great.

Maye’s 15 TD passes and 10 interceptions as a rookie weren’t particularly impressive, and New England’s 3-9 record in his 12 starts isn’t inspiring. Hobbyists often overlook poor play for potential stars at premier positions on popular teams, however, and Maye is a clear fit on that front.

Maye has been the third best-selling football player tracked by Market Movers over the last year and the fifth-most graded, according to GemRate. Another mediocre season in New England could quickly shift collector sentiment, but for now he has plenty of potential, and that’s all that really matters.

T3. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears QB: 8

The No. 1 overall pick in 2024, Williams individually had a respectable rookie season, though those results didn’t translate into wins for the Chicago Bears.

Fans and collectors alike are hoping new head coach Ben Johnson can revitalize Chicago’s offense ... and with it transform Williams into a hobby darling.

With more than 94,000 sales over the last year, Williams ranks fourth, and his more than 93,000 graded cards over that same period shows he’s more than capable of sitting near the top of these rankings in the foreseeable future.

A messy rookie season is forgivable for collectors, but like Maye, Williams will need to start delivering quickly to remain in this tier — though it’s worth noting a largely underwhelming incoming quarterback class could always buy this group additional time.

6. J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings QB: 11

McCarthy is possibly the most intriguing player atop this list, mostly because collectors really aren’t sure what they are getting.

A torn meniscus ended McCarthy’s rookie season before it started, and now he’s set to take over a team that finished the regular season 14-3. He will take his first NFL snaps Monday night against Chicago.

For collectors, there’s even less information to work with than normal, but the pieces around McCarthy are encouraging, most notably Justin Jefferson.

Still, it’s surprising to see McCarthy land here. Market Movers has logged more than 88,000 sales for the Vikings QB over the last year — that’s nearly twice as many as Joe Burrow — and there have been more than 76,000 of his cards graded over that same period.

Hobbyists love buying low, and a lost rookie season provided plenty of opportunities to snag McCarthy when most collectors were focused on Jayden Daniels and CJ Stroud.

7. Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons QB: 15

Like McCarthy, Penix Jr. had a bit of an odd rookie season.

The Falcons stunned the entire football community when they selected the former Washington quarterback with the eighth overall pick after signing Kirk Cousins to a massive deal in free agency, and the limited snaps Penix Jr. did see last year weren’t exceptional.

Though Penix Jr. didn’t dazzle, plenty of experts believe the tape was better than the results.

Falcons fans have recently felt the team was just a quarterback short of being a legitimate contender in the NFC, and Penix Jr. could be that with a fleet of weapons, including Drake London and Bijan Robinson, ready to make plays.

Despite an extremely late start, Penix Jr. has become a rising hobby favorite, with more than 73,000 sales logged by Market Movers over the last year, and a record public sale of $52,100 isn’t something to scoff at.

8. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs QB: 17

Collecting is heavily influenced by rookies and their potential, but there’s simply no denying Patrick Mahomes.

Some collectors will view Mahomes as less exciting because they know what they are getting, but others prefer the safety of buying into a player with three Super Bowl rings and two MVPs. And it’s hard to blame them.

Mahomes’ market can be a bit of an outlier comparatively because his cards are, on average, much more expensive than his peers here — and that’s not counting his 2017 National Treasures Platinum Shield RPA 1/1, which holds the record for the most valuable football card at $4.3 million.

Market Movers has logged more than 47,000 sales for Mahomes over the last year, while GemRate has tracked more than 76,000 graded cards over that same period.

9. Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders TE: 19

It’s no secret football collecting is dominated by quarterbacks.

Yes, plenty of running backs and star receivers gain significant followings, but it really takes an exceptional player to overcome traditional sentiment.

Enter Brock Bowers, who delivered a record-setting rookie season that featured new highs for receptions by a rookie tight end, receiving yards by a rookie tight end and eventually receptions by a rookie from any position.

Tight ends typically don’t resonate with collectors, but Bowers has broken that trend with more than 58,000 sales logged by Market Movers over the last year and more than 47,000 graded cards tracked by GemRate.

10. Malik Nabers, New York Giants WR: 23

Just the second non-QB on this list, Nabers has been surprisingly popular through his first season. Part of the reasoning is that he was quite good as a rookie — 109 catches for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns are seriously impressive numbers.

The main reason, however, could be the combination of an elite talent on a popular team in a big market.

New York’s quarterback situation is still a mess, but it’s not hard to see the right signal-caller turning Nabers into one of the next ultra-elite receivers.

Interest will certainly regress as he becomes further removed from his rookie season, but current stars such as Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chase are examples of non-QBs who have maintained hobby relevance. There’s more or less a ceiling for non-QBs among collectors, but it’s still quite high for the best of the best.

Market Movers has tracked more than 47,000 sales for Nabers over the last 365 days, the 10th-most of any football player, and more than 36,000 graded cards over that time period.

11. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals QB: 24

T12. Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals WR: 26

T12. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts QB: 26

14. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers QB: 32

15. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles QB: 34

16. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions RB: 35

17. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills QB: 36

18. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers QB: 43

19. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers QB: 45

20. Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars WR: 47

T21. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers QB: 48

T21. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings WR: 48

T23. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons RB: 49

T23. Rome Odunze, Chicago Bears, WR: 49

25. Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams WR: 51

26. Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers WR: 55

27. Xavier Worthy, Kansas City Chiefs WR: 57

T28. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals WR: 60

T28. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens QB: 60

T30. Cooper DeJean, Philaelphia Eagles CB: 68

T30. Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB: 68

32. Will Levis, Tennessee Titans QB: 70

33. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles RB: 73

34. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars QB: 75

35. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks WR: 81

36. Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions TE: 82

37. Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens WR: 83

38. Joe Milton III, Dallas Cowboys QB: 90

T39. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys WR: 90

T39. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs TE: 90

T41. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins QB: 91

T41. Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings WR: 91

43. Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills WR: 100

T44. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers QB: 102

T44. Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints QB: 102

46. De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins RB: 107

47. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions WR: 108

48. Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers WR: 120

T49. Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers WR: 121

T49: Derrick Henry, Balitmore Ravens, RB: 121

Ben Burrows is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture. He was previously the collectibles editor at Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on X and Instagram @benmburrows.