A star running back, a national champion and perhaps the most discussed player in the 2017 NFL draft are among the NFL rookies atop the newly unveiled NFLPA Panini Trading Card Index.
Issued quarterly, the index ranks the top performing players in the licensed trading card industry. The NFLPA and Panini include one list for rookies and another for veterans. Players are ranked on several factors including secondary market transactions, overall trading volume and collectability based in part on expectations.
Top-rated skill position draft picks headline the initial list for the first quarter of 2017 with Leonard Fournette (LSU), Deshaun Watson (Clemson), Mitch Trubisky (North Carolina), Christian McCaffrey (Stanford) and Dalvin Cook (Florida State) comprising the top five. Panini says the rankings utilize sales activity surrounding its first collegiate football products, Elite Draft Picks and Contenders Draft Picks.
Key sales driving the final rookie rankings this quarter include a one-of-a-kind 2017 Contenders Draft Picks Football Leonard Fournette autograph card that sold for $1,600 and a 2017 Contenders Draft Picks Football Deshaun Watson autograph card limited to just 23 copies that sold for $700.
“Being selected in the 2017 NFL Draft was a dream come true, and I can’t wait to show what I can do at the next level,” said Fournette. “To be the number one rookie on the Trading Card Index just confirms the incredible amount of fan support I’ve received in the early stages of my career.”
The first rankings of 2017 push last season’s top rookies onto the veteran list, a group that includes Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott and Carson Wentz. However, Super Bowl winning quarterback Tom Brady holds down the number one spot in the veteran rankings, a spot he’s held for four of the five indexes published to date.
A 2000 Contenders Football Brady autographed Rookie Card limited to just 100 copies sold for a staggering $24,500 earlier this year. A one-of-a-kind Elliott autographed card from 2016 National Treasures Football changed hands for $3,704.
The 2017 NFLPA Panini Trading Card Index: Rookies (1Q)
- Leonard Fournette, LSU
- Deshaun Watson, Clemson
- Mitch Trubisky, North Carolina
- Christian McCaffrey, Stanford
- Dalvin Cook, Florida State
- Patrick Mahomes II, Texas Tech
- John Ross, Washington
- Corey Davis, Western Michigan
- Jabrill Peppers, Michigan
- Mike Williams, Clemson
- Deshone Kizer, Notre Dame
- Joe Mixon, Oklahoma
- Samaje Perine, Oklahoma
- JuJu Smith Schuster, USC
- Davis Webb, California
The 2017 NFLPA Panini Trading Card Index: Veterans (1Q)
- Tom Brady, New England Patriots
- Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys
- Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
- Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packer
- Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles
- Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders
- Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
- Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams
- Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans
- Von Miller, Denver Broncos
- Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints
- Watt, Houston Texans
- Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
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