With the 2015 NFL season a month away, the soft market for football cards should start to pick up. People will get excited and in transit, the value in many of the cards that have dropped over the offseason will return to their normal state. More visibility for the NFL will mean more casual collectors looking to get back into the hobby. With that, here are some players I will be watching this year, outside of the normal crop of top picks in the draft.

Odell Beckham Jr – WR GIANTS

I have never seen a WR take the hobby by storm the way Beckham did in 2014. Funny thing is, he didnt even have a full season and still blew away every other rookie. His fabled catch on national TV catapulted him into the drivers seat with collectors, which is one of the first time a WR has done so in the QB era of the last five years. He has two main issues that are going to plague him in the hobby this year, both of which are significant. The first is how many of his cards remain unfulfilled redemptions, and whether or not they will be signed anytime soon. From all rumors around the mill, the answer is no. The second is whether or not he can live up to expectations which have been draped around his neck. Big question mark with Eli Manning as your QB.

His values have been high for a long time:

2014 Topps Five Star Odell Beckham Jr Auto RC

2014 Flawless Odell Beckham Jr Auto RC BGS 9.5

Teddy Bridgewater – QB VIKINGS

As a huge Teddy fan, he is obviously someone I want to see succeed. Interestingly, the success of his year might be impacted more by how well Adrian Peterson returns to form, rather than his potential growth over the offseason. If AD is the old monster he was in 2012 and 2013, look for Teddy to have a breakout performance. He will be facing man coverage all year with 8 and 9 guys in the box, and that should open things up considerably. His completion percentage was already crazy high with no one to throw to, going to be interesting to see what happens with Mike Wallace joining his corps. Behind Beckham, he was the other top guy in the class, and with Panini so brutally fucking up the NT release, his cards were only more valuable. Going to be interesting to see if collectors take him seriously.

Here are some nice ones to check out:

2014 Topps Five Star Teddy Bridgewater Jumbo Patch Auto /5

2014 Immaculate Teddy Bridgewater Jumbo Patch Auto

2014 Strata Teddy Bridgewater Shadowbox Auto /50

Cam Newton – QB Panthers

I have never been a Cam Newton fan, but I can definitely see where he has the raw talent to be a great QB. He has never been able to put it together for a sustained period of time that allowed for the Panthers to go anywhere meaningful, but this could be a year where he can determine how his legacy will be formed. Collectors love loudmouthed showboats, which I must say I usually like too. People who are outspoken usually get more media coverage, which means more people want to collect their cards. Cam will get plenty of attention, however its yet to be determined if its good or bad. The hobby is just about on the verge of making a final decision on him, so this could end up being a make or break year.

He can still be had for good money if you are looking to stock up:

2013 National Treasures Cam Newton Jumbo Booklet Patch Auto

2014 National Treasures Cam Newton Notable Nicknames

Demarco Murray – RB Eagles

Here is the thing. RBs have no value in the hobby anymore unless your name is Adrian Peterson or Marshawn Lynch. Even then, value is fleeting. Murray put up a TREMENDOUS year last year, but the knock was that it was more the offensive line. Moving out of Big D could be a huge mistake for him, as he might have set records had he stayed for less money. This could have a signficant impact on his hobby value as well, as any dropoff in production could damage value irreparably. Running backs are as disposable in the hobby as they are in the NFL.

Murray’s cards are up and down, but he has some nice ones as of late:

2014 Flawless Demarco Murray Auto Jumbo Patch

2015 Clear Vision DeMarco Murray Eagles Acetate Scrap Auto

Andrew Luck – QB Colts

There is a very specific reason I am going to be paying close attention to Luck this year, and it might not be the reason why everyone else is. If you take a look at the trajectory of Luck’s value, it has literally taken a path straight up. Collectors are enamored with his potential. His cards are so expensive, that they are starting to outperform Brady and Manning, which is territory that should not be taken lightly. Luck has already reached the playoffs in each year since 2012, and he is looking poised for another deep run with a Colts team getting stronger with each draft. Im paying attention to see if he can live up to the hype. I cant remember hype like he has. It hasnt happened maybe since Reggie Bush coming out of college. We all know how that turned out, even though I dont think that is the ending we will have here. Not even close. Can you imagine what might happen to his stuff with a Super Bowl berth? What about a win? Good god.

Insane prices at the moment:

2012 National Treasures Andrew Luck Rookie Auto Patch

2012 Contenders Andrew Luck Auto Ticket BGS 9.5

2014 Museum Collection Andrew Luck Framed Auto BGS 9.5

Russell Wilson QB – Seahawks

Well, he got his deal. He is now among the top paid QBs in the league, which only means one thing for the Seahawks – they gotta trim the fat to pay for it. Its clear that they have depth up the wazoo, but they will need guys to step up if they are going to continue their run. Russell Wilson is actually a pretty polarizing player, as some collectors dont really buy that he is as good as he looks. A great defense, a great running game and other factors provide a lot of cushion for his stats. Its going to be interesting to see how this plays out, and whether he can add to his already impressive resume.

2012 Topps Finest Russell Wilson Auto Relic Red Refractor BGS 9.5

2012 Contenders Russell Wilson Playoff Ticket Auto /99

This is going to be a VERY fun season. There is a deep rookie class with a lot of top talent at skill positions. I cannot wait to see how the hobby responds after a surprisingly lackluster year in 2014.