Its been a while since I have sat down and wrote out some of the new big inserts, but its mainly because of how few there have really been. Although the first HS based set was released, I think we are still at a relative trickle. Not sure how it will be turned on in the future, but hopefully more than it is now.

SR Luke Kuechly Signature

Collectability: Extreme
Playability:

We were having a discussion over on the Bunt/Huddle/Kick forum and a few users were saying that they were expecting defense. They were right, and we got one of the more prolific defensive players in the league right now. Even though the Panthers have been struggling, its a lot because of their offense, as their defense is still playing well. Kuechly is the anchor there, and I know there are a lot of Panthers’ fans who were happy this is the way they went over another Cam sig. At the standard 500 copies, Im interested to see how this shakes out long term for value. Kudos to Huddle for using the design elements again, and not just adding the basic template over the gray headshot. It actually makes a big difference.

SR Jimmy Graham Black Boost

Collectability: Extreme
Playability:

If I said to you last month that the Saints would start 1-3 and that their only win was a squeaker against the Vikings, you would tell me I was crazy. Jimmy Graham has still played well all things considered, but he hasnt gotten to the level he was at last season or before. He will, dont worry. This Black Boost is a tougher play though, as its not a QB or a RB who will get plays every series. Still the best TE to get though.

SR Matthew Stafford Black Boost

Collectability: Extreme
Playability:

Although I am a bit upset that the Lions are getting two Black boosts before some teams even get one, Stafford is a high point guy who will be a worthy pickup for just about any player. On Sunday, this card cracked 3000 points, thanks to both long passing TDs and a Rushing TD. I would aim to get one of these before any of the others that have been put out. I would even put this ahead of Cutler despite his great games this season. Stafford should end up having a great season as long as he stays healthy. I was lucky enough to pull one, and it was a big reason I was able to survive despite a glitch with my plays.

Rising Stars Patterson and Manziel

Collectability: Strong and Good+
Playability (Patterson):
Playability (Manziel):

I like this series, even more so now that they are carrying boosts equal to their rarity. Patterson is a tough pull as a SR, but trading for him has game play elements with a 2x boost. It adds a level to the cards. Manziel has yet to play, and may not for a long time, so that should be factored in.

Golden Moments Brandon Marshall

Collectability: Strong
Playability:

I think of all the head shot inserts, the Golden Moments look the best. Marshall is a popular guy, and plays well. I still have yet to figure out the long term value of these cards, but I think they should hold up better than people may think. There are only 500 per card, and that means that once the season award card is released, it will be tougher to come by. In Bunt, that really helped to spur some extra value. You never know though.

Set Overview – Vintage Collection

When they did this in Bunt, I wasnt a huge fan because I thought the player pictures were kind of goofy. Now that Huddle is all head shots, the cards actually look better than some of the other inserts. The reduced card count as the release moved on was helpful in creating a nice value in the rarer cards, but the 6500 pack price was a complete joke. No way these should have been released in that fashion. For that reason alone, im passing.

Verdict: SELL!

Award Card Overview

I was really happy to see that four award cards were given out last week relating to the Bowman, 1984, Men in Trenches and Kickoff sets. Not only were the cards extremely rare, but they were action shots as well. In fact, I think there was only one award card given out for Men in Trenches because the set was cut off so early. Really cool to see that they didnt switch to HS for this release, as many of the people that chased them gave up a lot. Here is how they hit the sheet.

1984 Reward: Luck (78 copies)
Bowman Reward: Bridgewater (105 copies – odd, because the last card was only 100)
Men in Trenches: Suh (1 copy!)
Kickoff: Russell Wilson (3 copies!)

Stay tuned for more updates as the weeks move on. Let me know your thoughts if you think I am way off on some of these.