Archive for 2009 NFL Rookies
Rookie of the Week: Week 4 – Mohamed Massaquoi
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the most exciting reasons to collect NFL rookie cards is that you get to watch their values spike if the players perform on the field. To help capture that excitement, Upper Deck launched a new website to help collectors track 2009 NFL rookie cards, but also make predictions on which rookie would have the best week at OwnTheRookies.com.
Collectors who can successfully guess the player who will be Upper Deck’s “Rookie of the Week” will be entered into a drawing to win a box of 2009 NFL cards. For putting up the best game of any rookie wide receiver so far, Mohamed Massaquoi has been given top honors for Week 4. If you entered codes from Massaquoi’s cards last week, stay tuned to the website to see if you are a winner!
Even though Massaquoi was the tenth receiver taken in the 2009 NFL draft, and the second by the Cleveland Browns, he is the first of two wide receivers to put up a 100 yard receiving effort in the league. He has been a bright spot for a team that hasn’t had many this year, and thanks to his performance on Sunday, he gave the Browns a chance to win their first game.
Massaquoi benefitted greatly from having Stafford throw to him at Georgia, and the Browns surprisingly went for him after drafting Brian Robiskie in the earlier part of the second round. Even though Massaquoi only had two receptions for 31 yards coming into Sunday, he exploded with eight catches for 148 yards in the loss to the Bengals. I’m sure it was quite surprising for the Browns, as he was never supposed to be a big factor in the offense this early. However, with Derek Anderson gaining confidence in his ability, he may continue to have a place.
As a part of the 2009 NFL Rookie Premiere, Massaquoi has had a lot of cards in the first releases of the year, and will continue to have them as the year progresses. Personally, I really like his base rookie out of Upper Deck football, as it has a pretty unique picture. Massaquoi is almost floating in the air, and he looks like he is about ready to bust that football he is holding. Many of the rookie cards in the flagship set this year have some amazing photography, and this one is no exception.
He also has a great looking rookie card out of Icons, this time featuring him in his Georgia Bulldogs uniform. Georgia fans, like their mascot, can be quite intimidating. Their passion means he’ll continue to have a following, which adds more value to these cards. The card also has autographed parallels, some of which are very affordable.
Lastly, if you are a fan of both the Browns and the Bulldogs, I would check out his 3D-Stars card out of Upper Deck, which features pictures from both. It’s a pretty cool concept card, showing the transition from the college to pro uniform (not to mention some “dancing” images).
Massaquoi’s value is more reflective of his selection in the draft rather than the production on the field at this point, which gives you a lot of room to invest in his potential. He has a lot of talent, and the Browns seem to love to use him as their preferred slot receiver, so it’s not a bad idea to take a look at him when selecting a target for the year. You won’t have to spend a lot of money to build a great collection, and the guy has already put up the best game of the year so far. He isn’t going to get the attention of someone like Mark Sanchez, but that will work to your advantage until he has another great game. With very little other talent on the field for the team, I can guarantee you that this will not be his last amazing performance.
Check in next week for the newest rookie to win rookie of the week, and don’t forget to enter in all your rookie card codes from the Upper Deck products you have collected so far. Not only can you win prizes, but the site has some great features to allow you to track rookies and their cards this season!
Adam Gellman runs the collecting blog Sports Cards Uncensored, and has been a collector of all things sports for over 15 years. To see more of his work, visit www.sportscardsuncensored.com (warning: strong language!).
Popularity: unranked [?]
Brag Photo of the Week: Lions Win!
Posted by: | CommentsIf you’ve been following the promotion at OwnTheRookies.com, you know that Matthew Stafford is our current Rookie of the Week. After nineteen straight losses, the rookie quarterback and first overall pick from the draft lead the Detroit Lions to their first victory since late 2007. On the collecting side of things, Adam Gellman did his usual great job of showing which cards to invest in for Stafford, and why.
A few weeks back, I cracked into the vaults here to get some shots of the amazing, limited Mark Sanchez USC jersey cards. I do like to be topical, so check out another one I captured at the same time:
Yet another gem from SP Threads (coming to a retail store near you soon!/shill). It’s a signed letterman patch produced in very limited quantities: check the number. And of course, I’ve got to show off the full spread (good luck collecting THIS . . .)
Pretty sweet, especially considering Stafford will only be a rookie once. But can he lead the Lions to two wins in a row this Sunday?
Popularity: unranked [?]
Rookie of the Week: Week 3 – Matthew Stafford
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the most exciting reasons to collect NFL rookie cards is that you get to watch their values spike if the players perform on the field. To help capture that excitement, Upper Deck launched a new website to help collectors track 2009 NFL rookie cards, but also make predictions on which rookie would have the best week at OwnTheRookies.com.
Collectors who can successfully guess the player who will be Upper Deck’s “Rookie of the Week” will be entered into a drawing to win a box of 2009 NFL cards. For helping the Detroit Lions break their NFL record losing streak, Matthew Stafford has been given top honors for this week. If you entered codes from Stafford’s cards last week, stay tuned to the website to see if you are a winner!
Many thought that the Lions could stretch their losing streak to an epic twenty games or more, unless some luck came their way. Last Sunday, Matthew Stafford proved that maybe luck wasn’t the only thing they needed. For the first time in almost two seasons, the Lions went up early thanks to a beautiful TD pass from Stafford to Bryant Johnson, and he played practically mistake free until the final gun. Stafford racked up close to 250 yards in passing and was able go without a turnover for the first time this year. He also rushed for 23 yards, helping the sometimes outmatched defense play without the pressure of the streak on their shoulders.
Stafford was the consensus overall number one pick coming out of Georgia, but not everyone thought the Lions should go in that direction. After putting up a poor performance in week one, and struggling in week two, the critics started chirping that Stafford needed more time to develop on the bench. After the game on Sunday, the tide seems to have changed. Ever since the Lions started their streak of incompetence, QB play had always been at the forefront of the disasters on the field. They had Calvin Johnson, but no talent to get the ball to him. Stafford was drafted to help with that problem, and up until the Redskins victory, was not necessarily living up to the billing.
Many teams are going to start to avoid the adjustment year that new QBs usually require to be successful because of the stellar play from Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, and Mark Sanchez (Upper Deck’s first Rookie of the Week this year), but not everyone can fit into that mold with ease. Stafford is also playing on one of the worst teams in NFL history, so its going to be tougher for him to do well with no experience.
Even though Mark Sanchez may be the rookie toast of the league at the moment, Stafford definitely should not be ignored. He has shown flashes of brilliance despite working with a bad offensive line and one receiver. This has lead to some of the top card values of the 2009 rookie class, despite the fact that the Lions are 1-2. Regardless, Stafford will be very good, especially with the likes of Calvin Johnson and Kevin Smith playing around him; even more so as tight end Brandon Pettigrew starts to fit into his role.
When it comes to the cards available right now, there are quite a few that I would suggest picking up as soon as possible. First, when SPx is released this week, Stafford should have one of the more valuable rookie jersey autographs in the set. It will feature three swatches of player worn jersey, and will be numbered lower than many of the other releases so far this year.
Others I would keep an eye out for are his autographs out of UD Philadelphia, as some of the inscriptions he did are the best of the set. Because his autograph is so clear on every card he signs, having a hard signed example like the ones on the 5×7 box toppers out of the product can be an amazing centerpiece to any Lions collection. If you can find the one he signed “Lion King,” I may have to hunt you down for a trade, as I think it was one of the more brilliant autographs I have ever seen.
Lastly, Stafford had some great cards in UD Draft, especially the dual autographs with fellow Georgia Bulldog Knowshon Moreno. The base draft auto is another hard signed autograph card, and should be pretty affordable for the people who can’t spend much money on one. If you can get one of the duals, it wouldn’t be too bad of an investment considering that Moreno also had a great week.
Overall, Matthew Stafford should be hailed just for being the one to put a tick in the win column for the Lions, but its becoming more apparent that he is going to be great in the coming years. As the Lions improve (and they will), Stafford will too, so don’t be afraid to start your collection now while things are cheaper. He has the skills to be great, though having Johnson to throw to should help just as much.
Check in next week for the newest rookie to win top honors of the week, and don’t forget to enter in all your rookie card codes from the Upper Deck products you have collected so far. Not only can you win prizes, but the site has some great features to allow you to track rookies and their cards this season!
Adam Gellman runs the collecting blog Sports Cards Uncensored, and has been a collector of all things sports for over 15 years. To see more of his work, visit www.sportscardsuncensored.com (warning: strong language!).
Popularity: unranked [?]
Rookie of the Week: Week 2 – Donald Brown
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the most exciting reasons to collect NFL rookie cards is that you get to watch their values spike if the players perform on the field. To help capture that excitement, Upper Deck launched a new website to help collectors track 2009 NFL rookie cards, but also make predictions on which rookie would have the best week at OwnTheRookies.com.
Collectors who can successfully guess who will be Upper Deck’s “Rookie of the Week” will be entered into a drawing to win a box of 2009 NFL cards. After helping the Colts move to 2-0 on Monday Night Football, Upper Deck has recognized Running Back Donald Brown with the honors of “Rookie of the Week”. If you entered codes from Brown’s cards last week, stay tuned to the website to see if you are a winner!
Coming off of the 2008 season, the Colts were not ready to go into 2009 without a backup plan in case of injury to star running back Joseph Addai. Addai spent four games of the season on the shelf with various injuries, and playing at less than 100% often enough when he was healthy enough to play. Although the Colts were able to put together a good record, their lack of a rushing game without Addai was a problem they did not want to deal with again.
Donald Brown was drafted in the first round because of his play at University of Connecticut, mainly to fill a backup role behind Addai. They figured he could also be used as a change of pace back when their lightning fast star needed a break. He impressed collectors out of the gate with his potential, and was immediately near the top of the class in value for the running backs that were selected. Despite the fact that he didn’t have the same kind of college following as players like Knowshon Moreno of Georgia or Beanie Wells of Ohio State, his talent was undeniable.
Brown wasn’t used much in the preseason (mainly due to the physicality of the position), but still managed to score a touchdown against Detroit and put up a big run against top run stoppers in Minnesota. During the first regular season game, Brown looked great in his time on the field, putting up 50+ total yards behind Addai in a Colts win.
Last night, Brown’s carries dropped from eleven to six because the team was playing from behind during the second half, but he made the most of the reps he received. He averaged 6.5 yards per carry and became the first rookie back to score a rushing touchdown in 2009 en route to a come from behind win over the Dolphins. His touchdown tied the game late, and another catch was made later on a key play for a first down. He came away in week two again with over 50 total yards, and Colts collectors should be very happy to have him on the team to complement the revitalized Addai.
Brown has already had some pretty amazing cards hit the market, with autographs and rookie cards in every Upper Deck product so far this year. My personal favorite has been his Premier Rookie Auto Jersey out of 2009 Upper Deck, as it is the first UD card of the year to feature a certified autograph and player worn Colts jersey swatches. The card is also limited only to 40 copies, making it not only valuable, but rare as well. The design is absolutely stunning, and has already has collectors fighting for a chance to get one.
His base rookie card, also out of Upper Deck football, has one of the coolest action shots of the year as its subject. It features Brown diving for the goal line pylon while almost breaking through the front of the card. Many collectors love the base Upper Deck rookie set because of the amazing photography, and this card does not fall short in any sense of the word.
Lastly, Browns autographed parallel out of Upper Deck Heroes football is a great one to pick up in addition to the others. It features a hard signed autograph, as well as a cool design that features a game photo from Brown’s time as a UConn Husky. It is serially numbered to 199 copies, and should be an affordable option for collectors who don’t want to break the bank, but still want an amazing card.
Donald Brown definitely has the talent as well as the supporting cast to have a great career for the Colts, especially if he is going to be tag-teaming with Joseph Addai. As the NFL moves to a two back rotation for every team, Brown’s importance and involvement will grow along with his value in the hobby. His cards haven’t reached their pinnacle yet, which is great for people who want to get in at the ground level. He also has the luxury of playing for one of the best teams in the league, so his growing pains from the NCAA to the NFL should be minimal. He has already been a vital part of one of the team’s two wins, and that will only get to be more important as the season moves on. Miami and Jacksonville are not bad teams either, thus proving that he has the skills to go toe-to-toe with the better teams of the league.
Check in next week for the newest rookie to win top honors of the week, and don’t forget to enter in all your rookie card codes from the Upper Deck products you have collected so far. Not only can you win prizes, but the site has some great features to allow you to track rookies and their cards this season!
Adam Gellman runs the collecting blog Sports Cards Uncensored, and has been a collector of all things sports for over 15 years. To see more of his work, visit www.sportscardsuncensored.com (warning: strong language!).
Popularity: unranked [?]
Rookie of the Week: Week 1 – Mark Sanchez
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the most exciting reasons to collect NFL rookie cards is that you get to watch their values spike if they perform on the field. To help capture that excitement, Upper Deck launched a new website last week to help collectors track 2009 NFL rookie cards, but also make predictions on which rookie would have the best week at OwnTheRookies.com.
Collectors who can successfully guess who will be Upper Deck’s “Rookie of the Week” will be entered into a drawing to win a box of 2009 NFL cards. After his strong showing this weekend, Upper Deck has recognized New York Jets QB Mark Sanchez with the honors of “Rookie of the Week”. If you entered codes from Sanchez cards last week, stay tuned to the website to see if you are a winner!
Early on in training camp, Rex Ryan tapped rookie Mark Sanchez to be his starting QB, a move that definitely paid off for him in week one. As a result, Upper Deck has chosen Sanchez as their Rookie of the Week for his impressive play during their 24-7 win over the Texans. Here on the Upper Deck Blog, we will discuss the impact this player has made on his team, as well as a few cards to pick up along the way.
When the Jets traded up to pick Sanchez at number five in the 2009 NFL Draft, many Jets fans were extremely happy to have such a talented quarterback at the helm. Brett Favre was out, Sanchez was the future, and things were definitely looking good. Collectors also latched on pretty early, as Sanchez’s USC career and NFL potential made him one of the most valuable pulls in any product release. Now that he has won his first game, thrown for close to 300 yards and a touchdown (as well as solidified his place as the Jets’ QB of the future) things are only going to get better for Sanchez collectors.
Heading into week one, it was expected that Sanchez would have a tougher time against Mario Williams and the Texans defense than some of the other rookies that were also making their debut. Sanchez didn’t disappoint, however, throwing a rainbow 30 yard touchdown pass to receiver Chansi Stuckey in the second quarter. As Sanchez bolted down the field in celebration, you could almost feel a collective sigh of relief coming from the Jets fans who have dealt with their share draft problems over the last few years. After the TD, he finished the game 18/31 for 272 yards and a convincing Jets win. Sanchez did throw an interception, but the contributions he made during the game were key. He even showed his considerable accuracy with a few throws that moved the chains on third down and long, even against a formidable pass rush. Sanchez kept his cool, hit his receivers, and proved his worthiness of the Jets’ top pick.
Luckily for collectors, there are quite a bit of amazing Sanchez cards to pick up in the wake of his first game, and I would suggest acting quickly due to his growing popularity. The first card I would like to focus on is his Same Day Signature card out of Upper Deck Football. The card features Sanchez in his Jets jersey with a hard-signed signature, and is one of the most sought after cards in the new product. There are a few out there with special inscriptions, making the cards even more amazing. I would be on the lookout for those examples, as they carry quite a premium over the others.
For some of the other people (who may also be fans of Sanchez from his days at USC), the Upper Deck Philadelphia National Chicle mini is one of my favorites so far. The painted card is a short print insert in the recently released set, usually coming only a few per box. Due to the rarity, as well as the amazing look of the card, they are some very valuable cards. If you are lucky enough to get a signed parallel, consider me to be very jealous, as the hard-signed signature makes the card even more desirable.
There are also some great cards that are about to hit shelves in the coming week, including his SPx Rookie Jersey Autograph card, one of the first high end cards to be released. The SPx cards are always a favorite of collectors, and feature Sanchez pictured in his Jets jersey. The card is also one of the first to feature player worn jersey pieces, so you can bet that it will be one of the more valuable cards around.
When it comes down to it, “El Matador” is poised to have a great career in New York, and collectors are not hesitating to recognize that potential with the highest values of the 2009 class. His experience in a USC pro-style offense gives him the tools to be extremely effective on a team with no shortage of weapons, thus making him even more valuable to the collectors who have targeted him. Sanchez is definitely deserving of the first rookie of the week for 2009, and I don’t think he has even shown what he is capable of.
Check in next Tuesday for the newest rookie to win top honors of the week, and don’t forget to enter in all your rookie card codes from the Upper Deck products you have collected so far. Not only can you win prizes, but the site has some great features to allow you to track rookie cards this season!
Adam Gellman runs the collecting blog Sports Cards Uncensored, and has been a collector of all things sports for over 15 years. To see more of his work, visit www.sportscardsuncensored.com (warning: strong language!).
Popularity: unranked [?]
