Patrick Mahomes represents about the surest thing in professional sports during the playoffs. Even in down years individually, his Kansas City Chiefs have proven to be more than capable of navigating the NFL postseason to win championships.
He’s also the gold standard for anyone collecting modern football cards, commanding the highest prices and with staying power that should last through retirement, as we’ve seen from Tom Brady.
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But would another Super Bowl this season for Mahomes, his third consecutive title and fourth overall for the Chiefs, really be the best development for the football card hobby? There’s nothing wrong with another quarterback or two leaving this postseason with some steam in the card market.
Several quarterbacks are walking into the playoffs Saturday coming off the best regular seasons of their careers. And the 2024 rookie class claims two of the 14 playoff starting QB jobs, which is a huge plus for the card market.
With all that in mind, I’ll unveil my 2024 NFL QB hobby power rankings. Ultimately, it’s a subjective list based on on-field production, my perceived standing in the market and my perceived chance for growth in the postseason and beyond.
(Stats via TruMedia. Price for comps come from listed 3-4 listed sales via Card Ladder as of Jan. 7)
Overall
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.31 (1) |
119.6 (1) |
158.3 (1) |
|
|
0.24 (3) |
101.4 (8) |
155.3 (3) |
Weeks 13-18
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.38 (1) |
108.8 (5) |
71.0 (2) |
|
|
0.29 (3) |
124.2 (1) |
45.7 (3) |
Rookie cards values
- 2018 Panini Prizm Silver PSA 10: $5,600 (one comp — Aug. 24 2024)
- 2018 Donruss Optic Holo PSA 10: $995.75
- 2018 Donruss Optic Downtown PSA 10: $4,543.75
- 2018 Panini Prizm Silver PSA 10: $3,300 (one comp — Nov. 27, 2024)
- 2018 Donruss Optic Holo PSA 10: $850
- 2018 Donruss Optic Downtown PSA 10: $2,606.50
The time for either Allen or Jackson to break through to at least make the Super Bowl, much less win one, is now. Jackson possesses the fourth highest passer rating in the past 25 seasons, and his 2024 numbers far exceed his statistics from his 2023 MVP season. It’s Allen, though, who’s the favorite to win the MVP this season as he’s produced a career high in EPA per dropback and total EPA.
Their rookies card markets only trail Mahomes with the hobby’s faith in both quarterbacks very strong. As we’ve witnessed from Jackson, though, an MVP award alone won’t blow the roof off a player’s current ceiling. It takes Super Bowl winning status.
Overall
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.15 (8) |
100.1 (11) |
101.0 (7) |
Weeks 13-18
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.15 (10) |
105.5 (8) |
37.0 (8) |
Rookie cards values
- 2024 Panini Prizm Silver (raw, not graded): $435.19
- 2023 Panini Select XRC PSA 10: $1,633.33
- 2024 Donruss Downtown PSA 10: $2,657.25
It’s the second consecutive year where the league’s top rookie quarterback will leave this season as one of the hottest names in the hobby in any sport. That will happen regardless of whether the Commanders move past their NFC wild card tussle with the Buccaneers or not. Daniels’ trajectory seems like it will be higher than 2023 darling C.J. Stroud. Daniels carried a higher profile in his rookie season (2023 Heisman Trophy winner), produced bigger numbers and plays for a higher profile team than Stroud.
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Overall
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.13 (10) |
93.5 (17) |
77.5 (9) |
Weeks 13-18
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.10 (16) |
94.1 (15) |
19.8 (16) |
Rookie cards values
- 2017 Donruss Optic Holo PSA 10: $2,825
- 2017 Panini Prizm Silver PSA 10: $4,911.25
Mahomes would typically land atop any quarterback power rankings on the field or in the hobby. Betting against Mahomes in the postseason is typically a losing bet, regardless of his regular season numbers. With Mahomes being well on his way to all-time great status, how much higher can his tall stack of grail cards increase in value? Would a Super Bowl three-peat really bump Mahomes’ massive market?
Overall
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.03 (20) |
93.3 (18) |
29.0 (16) |
Weeks 13-18
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.17 (6) |
101.5 (11) |
37.8 (7) |
Rookie cards values
- 2024 Panini Prizm Silver (raw, not graded): $275.63
- 2023 Panini Select XRC (raw): $378.25
- 2024 Donruss Downtown PSA 10: $2,057.50
Once upon a time, the Broncos rookie’s numbers hovered around the worst rookie starting QBs in the past 25 seasons. The switch flipped starting in October. And collectors quickly took notice — eBay searches for “Bo Nix” rose more than 120 percent in November compared to the previous month. The No. 12 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft looks like he’s the perfect present and future fit for Sean Payton’s offense. As for the hobby, Nix’s stock might not be pointing as high as Daniels’ arrow (Daniels still had more eBay searches in November than Nix did), but it’s primed to keep rising with rookie promise.
Overall
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.10 (12) |
101.7 (7) |
60.6 (11) |
Weeks 13-18
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.19 (5) |
106.1 (6) |
44.2 (4) |
Rookie cards values
- 2020 Panini Prizm Silver PSA 10: $873.75
- 2020 Donruss Optic Holo PSA 10: $200.62
- 2020 Donruss Optic Downtown PSA 10: $2,443.99
I was ready to write off the Chargers quarterback as someone to buy within the hobby. So much hype and so little team results followed up by a modest first six games this season had me consistently wondering why Herbert’s cards maintained more value than other QBs from his draft class. Then Herbert uncorked some of the better rates in the NFL over the last six weeks and finished with 23 TD passes compared to only three interceptions on the year. Now, how about a playoff win…
Overall
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.10 (13) |
96.7 (12) |
45.8 (13) |
Weeks 13-18
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.16 (8) |
105.7 (7) |
27.3 (10) |
Rookie cards values
- 2020 Panini Prizm Silver PSA 10: $702.75
- 2020 Donruss Optic Holo PSA 10: $158.38
- 2020 Donruss Optic Downtown PSA 10: $2,001.25
The Packers quarterback battled through early season woes and injuries for a second-half boost in his rates. Did Josh Jacobs have something to do with Green Bay’s offensive success? Absolutely. But also Love’s numbers the past six weeks are no fluke. It’s become a pattern where Love finds a rhythm in the back half of seasons. Of the quarterbacks in the NFC, his card market stands the most to gain with a run to a Super Bowl. That includes Daniels, since his cards will remain hot no matter the results this postseason.
Overall
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.13 (9) |
103.7 (5) |
71.2 (10) |
Weeks 13-18
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.15 (NR) |
108.8 (NR) |
16.7 (NR) |
*(Not passer rating qualified to be ranked in Weeks 13-18)
Rookie cards values
- 2020 Panini Prizm Silver PSA 10: $425.41
- 2020 Donruss Optic Holo PSA 10: $156.85
- 2020 Donruss Optic Downtown PSA 10: $1,799.50
Jackson played amazing thanks in part to the arrival of Derrick Henry, but Hurts didn’t receive the same catapult in his statistics thanks to the acquisition of Saquon Barkley. Still, Hurts can be one of the more dangerous quarterbacks in the league given his versatility. His hobby status has fallen in the past couple of seasons, though, after peaking when the Eagles nearly toppled Mahomes and the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.
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Could Hurts’ market improve if the Eagles win this year’s Super Bowl? Of course. But he’s below the other playoff-bound 2020 draft class QBs because his card values are lower, even though I’d give the Eagles a better chance at the Super Bowl than the Chargers or Packers.
Overall
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
-0.03 (28) |
87.0 (25) |
-29.9 (32) |
Weeks 13-18
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
-0.10 (29) |
86.4 (27) |
-21.7 (30) |
Rookie cards values
- 2023 Panini Prizm Silver PSA 10: $431.25
- 2023 Donruss Optic Holo PSA 10: $133
- 2023 Donruss Optic Downtown PSA 10: $2,203.47
Stroud’s regression on the field and in the hobby has been jarring. In real life, the only QBs with worse EPA per dropback numbers than Stroud in the last six weeks: Drew Lock, Will Levis, Kirk Cousins, Jameis Winston, Anthony Richardson, Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
How much has Stroud’s hobby stock fallen? These days, Houston has become a “pass” depending on the board in a “stash or pass” scenario in an online repack breaks. That would have been laughable only a couple of months ago with Houston being a must have in any break connected to a Stroud rookie card.
Overall
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.17 (6) |
106.8 (4) |
101.6 (5) |
Weeks 13-18
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.20 (4) |
111.8 (3) |
39.1 (6) |
Rookie cards values
- 2018 Panini Prizm Silver PSA 10: $204 (one comp — April 30, 2023)
- 2018 Donruss Optic Holo PSA 10: $136.31
- 2018 Donruss Optic Downtown PSA 10: $868.88
There’s no question Mayfield has truly found his comfort zone with the Buccaneers. We’re to the point where we’re not questioning whether Mayfield should be a starter in the league and moved on to where he might rank within the top 10 passers. He’s only improved from Year 1 to Year 2 in Tampa Bay, making his standing in the hobby pretty firm right now. His cards aren’t exploding, but they’re at least a nice, steady value. That’s why he’s one notch above his 2018 draft classmate.
Overall
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.06 (16) |
102.5 (6) |
20.6 (17) |
Weeks 13-18
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.08 (20) |
103.8 (10) |
17.7 (17) |
Rookie cards values
- 2018 Panini Prizm Silver PSA 10: $455.25
- 2018 Donruss Optic Holo PSA 10: $168.10
- 2018 Donruss Optic Downtown PSA 10: $668.50
Now is the time for the Vikings quarterback to turn his detractors into believers. His on-field statistics tell an interesting story. Darnold’s passer rating marks show he’s producing yards and touchdowns. His good, but not great EPA rates indicate he might falter in certain situations. But Darnold has made those previously anguished collectors of his cards happy with his emergence all season. Given his lack of postseason pedigree, the time is also right now to maximize Darnold’s hobby value if you’re looking to sell his cards.
Overall
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.27 (2) |
111.8 (2) |
158.1 (2) |
Weeks 13-18
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.31 (2) |
114.2 (2) |
78.3 (1) |
Rookie cards values
- 2016 Panini Prizm Silver PSA 10: $266.37
- 2016 Donruss Optic Holo PSA 10: $271.25
Goff’s numbers scream elite. His best season before this year occurred in 2018 when he helped guide the Rams to Super Bowl LIII. He yielded a 0.18 EPA per dropback rate with a 101.1 passer rating. The Lions quarterback has played on another level in 2024. On pure on-field performance, there’s no doubt Goff would be considered a top-tier postseason QB. But in terms of hobby popularity, he’s not even the first or second most sought-after Lions player.
From Sept. 1-Nov. 30, Goff ranked No. 3 on the eBay’s most-searched Lions player list behind Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown. And that’s even with Goff being searched more than 100 percent more by the end of the period than the start. Gibbs stands to be the big hobby winner if the Lions make it to New Orleans. Goff’s values will rise, but his lower standing in the QB market will likely continue even if Detroit wins Super Bowl LIX.
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Overall
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.07 (15) |
93.7 (15) |
36.3 (14) |
Weeks 13-18
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
0.14 (11) |
94.9 (13) |
21.8 (15) |
Rookie cards values
- 2009 Bowman Chrome Refractor PSA 10: $171.50
- 2009 Topps Chrome Refractor PSA 10: $258
Stafford’s 2024 season has been strange. He’s been healthy for the most part. His wide receiver corps has not. Plus the Rams became far more focused on running the football even in a four-game stretch where he tossed 10 touchdowns and no interceptions in the second half of the season. Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp are available for the postseason at least, but the Rams’ success seems predicated on how well Kyren Williams runs the football and if Los Angeles’ defense can hold up. All of that simply leaves Stafford’s hobby value as stagnant at best.
Overall
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
-0.00 (23) |
95.6 (14) |
-13.6 (27) |
Weeks 13-18
| player | EPA/DB | Psr Rt | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|
|
-0.07 (28) |
93.2 (19) |
-24.2 (31) |
Rookie cards values
- 2012 Panini Prizm (Towel Down) PSA 10: $55.76
- 2012 Topps Chrome Refractor PSA 10: $313.34
The Steelers passer seems like he’s reverted back to being the erratic QB we’ve watched the past couple of seasons dating back to his final days in Seattle. In the last six weeks, he’s only one spot higher than Stroud on the EPA per dropback rate rankings. In total EPA, only Winston, Lock, Levis and Thompson-Robinson have been worse in the span. The next time Wilson should garner hobby appeal is when he’s eligible for Pro Football Hall of Fame consideration. For now, Justin Fields is probably the best buy among Steelers QBs.
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(Photo of Allen, Mahomes: Timothy T Ludwig / Getty Images)
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