A list of the best 2021 NFL rookie cards won’t really be complete until the careers of the draft class are well underway several years from now. That doesn’t mean we don’t have an early idea of who the impact players might be. While early success is no guarantee of long-term greatness, let alone a Hall of Fame type career, both oddsmakers and collectors do have some on-field performances to support their picks.
While some of the most popular high-end brands aren’t released until late in the season or even afterward, collectors are definitely chasing the rookie cards of players who might be worth the most money in the years ahead.
A month into the regular season, oddsmakers shifted their choice for Rookie of the Year favorite to Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase. Over 82% of the last 17 Rookie of the Year picks were quarterbacks or running backs but Chase may buck that trend. Catching passes from his former LSU teammate Joe Burrow, Chase was among the league leaders in touchdown catches through five weeks. His rookie cards do seem to be…worth chasing.
The pre-season choice was the top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and there will be plenty of Trevor Lawrence rookie cards on the market. Despite the usual rookie quarterback struggles on a team with a mountain of issues, Lawrence still looks like a good long-term bet. While the best 2020 NFL rookie cards seem to belong to Justin Herbert, collectors have been scooping up Mac Jones, Justin Fields, Trey Lance and Zach Wilson who are getting their chances to justify their first round draft position. Jones, Fields and Lawrence are among the other top Rookie of the Year choices from sportsbooks.
Rookie cards of Pittsburgh running back Najee Harris, Atlanta tight end Kyle Pitts and Arizona’s Rondale Moore have also seen some impressive sales on the offensive side. Collectors will also be chasing Defensive Rookie of the Year picks Micah Parsons of Dallas, Patrick Surtain II of Denver and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah of Cleveland, although guys on the other side of the ball sometimes suffer from a lack of cards that go into production.
More names will undoubtedly emerge in the next couple of years as players’ careers unfold. Which 2021 NFL rookie card auctions are attracting the the most auction action right now? Click here to find out.
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