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New to football
Just started collecting football cards. Who are key players that I should focus on. I do prefer autos, numbered cards and patch cards.
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4 Replies
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If you’re just getting into football cards and you specifically like autos, numbered cards, and patches, I’d actually avoid trying to collect everybody. Pick a few players you genuinely like and then chase the best cards you can afford. For current guys, I’d start with:
Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye
Then for the 2026 rookie class, Fernando Mendoza is obviously the big chase right now, with Jeremiyah Love, Carnell Tate, Caleb Downs, Ty Simpson and Jordyn Tyson among the other names I’d watch. Mendoza’s Flagship First Signature already had early sales around $1,300-$1,700, so the market is definitely paying attention. For the type of cards you like, I’d prioritize them roughly like this:
-On-card rookie autos<div>Low-numbered rookie autos
Rookie patch autos, especially with a nice patch
Low-numbered parallels /25, /10, /5, 1/1</div>Cool veteran autos and patches of established stars
One thing I’d REALLY recommend as a new collector: don’t automatically assume the most expensive rookie is the best buy. Football is incredibly QB-heavy in the hobby, so a great WR/RB/defensive player can sometimes give you a much cooler card for a fraction of the price. And if you’re buying for your PC rather than purely investing, that’s where you can have a lot more fun.Also, since Topps Flagship Football just returned as a fully licensed product, there are a ton of rookie autos, numbered cards and memorabilia cards to chase rn
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great info.. like always collect who you like. dont go down all the rabbitt holes and it is kinda sad that with football its the qbs who get most of the love and chase..
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Thanks. I have been collecting baseball cards for years and just now am getting into football. I appreciate the advice.
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i for sure am heavy with baseball and also looking more at football. but im not really going after the ones everyone chases. getting back into my home teams and getting players i loved watching
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