I’m a cheapskate who won’t buy YouTube TV until the NFL playoffs start, and then I keep it through the NBA Finals. The next 6 months is me living my best sports life 😎.

- Cameron

Thanks to Michael G. Barilleaux for contributing to this newsletter.

NFL Playoffs Hobby Preview

Rams @ Panthers (+10)

I don’t see a ton of upside with either QB here. Bryce Young would have to do something astounding to convince people he’s not mediocre. On the other hand, Matthew Stafford has already won the Super Bowl and had an MVP-type season, meaning that a first-round win as a massive favorite doesn’t do much, hobby-wise.

There’s one position player I’ve got my eye on: Puka Nacua. He’s probably the best WR in the NFL right now, and makes the most electrifying catches. He’s still very young, meaning he has tremendous future upside (which the hobby loves). Bill Barnwell, one of the most prominent NFL writers in the world, labeled Puka as the most complete player in football.

My Take: I think the Rams roll here. The Panthers beat them already, but I think that’s just a fluky result that sometimes happens in the season.

Puka is really the only player I’m that interested in this week. His pricing has increased, but he is still behind Justin Jefferson’s PSA 10 Prizm pricing, showing there’s room for growth.

A first-round win for Stafford won’t do much, but any playoff games where Puka goes nuts and has a great grab or two should help his pricing.

🏈 Packers @ Bears (+1.5)

Whoever wins, I think there’s a nice bump for these QBs. Jordan Love has been considered elite for a few years, but he only has one playoff win under his belt. Caleb Williams made the leap, and we’re seeing headlines like “Caleb Williams has Top-5 QB Upside.” Plus, he has the pedigree of a #1 pick, which means something for young players in the hobby.

My Take: I like the Bears here. I think the Packers are too inconsistent, and Love might be rusty after sitting out a bit. Home-field advantage favors the Bears, and I think Caleb could see a big bump with each playoff win.

🏈Bills @ Jaguars (+1.5)

I think the hobby’s done with Josh Allen as far as first-round games are concerned. It could hurt him if he loses, sure, but winning this one won’t matter. We need Super Bowls from him.

Trevor Lawrence, on the other hand, is still trying to show that he (and the Jaguars) are for real. I think if they knock off the Bills, Lawrence really gets a bump. His PSA 10 Prizm has already jumped quite a bit, so it could be risky if they lose and T-Law has a bad game. If they win, definitely room to grow.

My Take: I gotta go with the Bills here. I know the Jags have looked like the better team recently, and they have home field… but this is Josh Allen in the playoffs with perhaps the best run game in the NFL. Until Lawrence proves he can put on the cape and go toe-to-toe with the best, I’m still skeptical.

I’d sell Lawrence now and bank the profit.

🏈49ers @ Eagles (-4.5)

The least interesting game on the slate for me, as I don’t think a win here moves the hobby needle much for either team. I suppose if Purdy or McCaffrey go nuts that we could see movement, but I bet it would be minimal.

My Take: The 49ers defense hasn’t been great, but the Eagles offense hasn’t lit it up. So, I want to take the 49ers offense putting up enough points in a win…but without any real hobby repercussions.

🏈Chargers @ Patriots (-3.5)

Another fascinating game from a hobby perspective! It’s clear that Drake Maye will just keep on rising if he wins. The guy just doesn’t have bad games, and it’s pretty clear he’s the #1 reason the Patriots keep winning.

Herbert, on the other hand, has all of the potential, is still young, but has playoff meltdowns on his resume. I think a win helps, but doesn’t skyrocket him. I’m betting the hobby would want to see more.

My Take: I like the Pats. I know they’ve had a weak schedule, but Maye just plays well no matter who he’s up against. I doubt it’s a blowout, but I bet they’re mostly in control and Maye sees a continued bump in pricing.

🏈Texans @ Steelers (+3)

For the Steelers? Nothing interesting to me here. CJ Stroud, on the other hand, is still undervalued despite recent increases. You can grab his PSA 10 Prizm for under $40, despite his team being hot and his great second half.

My Take: Grab Stroud and see if the Texans can go on a run. They’re defense is incredible, which some people use to knock down the QB’s value, but he’s too cheap. If they win a game or two and Stroud plays well, I think his prices could easily double.

This doesn’t constitute investment advice, more just a window into my overall strategy as well as for entertainment purposes. All pricing and screenshots are taken from Card Ladder—the only pricing & inventory tool I use.

Quick Hits

News From Around the Hobby

+ Insert Headline Here - With Panini phasing out, it’ll be interesting to see which new inserts will replace the popular Kabooms, Color Blasts, and more. We have an early contender: “One insert in particular has already begun to separate itself from the rest.” And that’s the Ultra Violet All-Stars, which look stunning. Click the link to see them in action.

+ Grading 2025 - “According to GemRate, overall card grading volume jumped 32% year over year, a big increase that underscores just how engrained grading is in the hobby.” The overall number of cards graded last year is astounding: 26.8 million!

+ The Hobby GOAT - Jordan is the most graded athlete of all time, at more than double second place, Ohtani (Which is impressive considering he started in 2018 and Jordan started in ‘84). Griffey’s 3rd, followed by LeBron, Kobe, and… Wemby!

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The content in this newsletter is for entertainment purposes only and is not intended to be actual financial or investment advice.