Shedeur Sanders’ Strong Season Fails to Boost His Sports Card Value
Cleveland’s preseason opener against Carolina gave fans exactly what they wanted: a new quarterback story. Shedeur Sanders, who had slipped to the fifth round of the draft, took the field and threw for 138 yards and two touchdowns in less than three quarters.
His start was a relief for the Browns and caught the attention of celebrities like Dawn Staley and LeBron James, who made sure to add their stamp of approval on social media. For a player who began training camp buried on the depth chart behind Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Dillon Gabriel, it was a memorable moment.
The Card Market Stays Cool
Image via pexels/Erik Mclean
Excitement like that usually spills into the hobby. Fans look for rookie cards, and collectors rush to snag the “next big thing.” But so far, that hasn’t happened for Sanders.
According to Market Movers data, his cards are up about 20 percent over the past month, yet total sales were just 552 during that time—ranking him 67th among football players.
For context, Baker Mayfield logged 568, Trey Lance 583, Justin Fields 890, and Arch Manning crossed the 1,000 mark. A handful of Sanders’ premium cards have gained popularity, such as a Select Autographs Gold /10 selling for $4,500 and a Tie-Dye /25 bringing in $1,850. Still, those are rare cases. The broader market isn’t rushing in.
College Uniforms Don’t Carry the Same Weight
One explanation is that collectors are waiting for NFL-licensed rookie cards. Right now, Sanders’ main options are collegiate releases, which historically lag behind pro-uniform editions in demand.
His 2024 Select XRC Prizm Base has doubled in value, rising from $175 to $350 over the last 30 days, but volume remains modest. The lack of flagship cards from sets like Donruss, Prizm, Optic, and Select keeps the brakes on momentum. As those products roll out later in 2025, the market may finally get its first true test.
Performance Questions Add to the Hesitation
Another factor shaping collector behavior is how analysts view Sanders as a quarterback. Scouts have pointed out issues in his game that could hold him back at the NFL level, such as a tendency to take too many sacks, hesitating on intermediate throws, and drifting in the pocket.
In college, his pressure-to-sack rate stood at 25.3 percent, higher than recent top prospects like Drake Maye and Caleb Williams. That kind of number plants doubt for anyone considering a long-term investment in his cards.
Collectors are well aware that hype can fade quickly if development doesn’t follow.
Lessons From Other Hyped Names
Sports card history is filled with reminders that initial buzz doesn’t guarantee lasting value.
Trey Lance’s market swung wildly when his early opportunities fell short, and Zion Williamson’s cards saw dramatic declines once injuries interrupted his career. Collectors who have been through these rollercoasters know the risk of rushing in.
Hype often sparks the short-term spike, but only consistent performance can anchor value.