Today I'm going to show you 5 WR cards that I think have plenty of room to grow, and detail why I think that. All 5 cards are going to be Rookie Cards, some are signed, and some have a piece of a Player Worn Jersey. If you're looking to dip your toes into the card market, picking up one of these 5 would be a great place to start. There is something for every budget on this list.
Reminder: We love StarStock.com’s vault of over 100,000 cards. If you want just one resource for options, purchasing, and organization, they’re the site to check out.
Robert Woods
2013 Panini Contenders Auto (under $20)
He's been a completely different player since he signed with the Rams. In 3 seasons, he has compiled 3,134 yards and 13 TDs…basically, a model of consistency. And now, with Brandin Cooks in Houston, his targets are likely to grow, building on back-to-back seasons with 130+ targets (career-high 139 targets and 90 receptions in 2019). Per our projections, Woods has a real chance to deliver on Receiving Yards and Receptions Prop Bets,
Woods’ current ADP is 42.4/WR17, but while he’s consistently being drafted as a WR2, the disrespect is real right now in the hobby for Woods. If you look hard enough, you can still find these Contenders Autos for under $10, but a quick eBay search reveals these cards still at an affordable $15. If you’re looking to dabble in the hobby and are already contemplating available player props for Woods, securing a 2013 Panini Contenders Auto is a great place to start.
Allen Robinson
2014 Panini National Treasures RPA /99 (Under $150)
Blake Bortles, Chad Henne, Mitchell Trubisky, and Chase Daniel. That's not only a list of some of the worst QBs in the NFL over the last 5 years, that's the list of guys who Allen Robinson has had throwing to him his NFL career. When he's healthy, he's just about a lock for being a top 15 WR, even with those QBs. The general consensus at FantasyP oints is he will finish this season as a Top 10 WR. I can get behind that.
Nick Foles will seem like Joe Montana to him, as sad as that is. With David Montgomery banged up, the Bears run game is already a question mark. And from a hobby standpoint, the #Bears large fan base doesn't hurt potential for quick growth for an A-Rob National Treasure card.
His Prizm Rookies have gone up over 200% in the last few months but the market hasn't reacted to the National Treasures yet. This is, without question, his best Rookie Card you can buy, and I'm confident enough in his talent to encourage buying it.
Michael Gallup
2018 Panini Prizm Michael Gallup (Ungraded under $15, PSA 9 under $40, PSA 10 under $150)
The Cowboys have one of the biggest, if not the biggest fanbase in football. When their players perform, prices on their offensive playmakers cards rise. In my opinion, this card has the biggest opportunity to grow ten-fold over any of the other cards. If he has even a top-20 year, his prices could hit $30+ ungraded, easily. Gallup currently is projected as our WR35.
Just last year, Amari Cooper cards saw an immediate uptick in value as soon as he was traded to the Cowboys. Historically speaking, Dallas players cards do well, and I like
Brandin Cooks
2014 Panini National Treasures RPA /99 (Under $125)
Brandin Cooks is coming in to help fill the shoes of one of the top-3 WRs in the league over the last few years. His health, admittedly is a risk. I'm pretty sure I've seen him die on the field at least 3 times so far in his career. That said, Cooks cards have gone a bit under the radar. Perhaps for good reason, as he currently sits as our WR46, but take a look at John Hansen’s projections comment:
“Injury history aside, Cooks is still only 26-years-old and now gets a massive QB upgrade. Per PFF, Watson ranked 2nd-best in deep pass accuracy last year while Goff ranked 23rd.”
The hobby seemed to have lost all interest in Cooks when he went to the Rams. But if he can get back to his WR2 ways, his prices will see an increase. I'm recommending the National Treasures because like Robinson, I'm confident in Cooks talent. Be sure to check out Tom Brolley’s 2020 Betting Preview on the Texans for more information that may help you pair a Cooks card investment with a Player Prop for him. Here’s a preview:
With that said, his Prizm RC's are extremely undervalued right now as well. If you can get them under $10, they're a great buy as well. If you’re looking to keep it ultra-cheap but remain optimistic on an ROI for Cooks, Starstock has a solid collection of options.
Preston Williams
2019 Select Silver Prizm (Under $30)
Preston Williams was leading all rookies in receiving yards and targets in 2019 until he got hurt. If the Dolphins are rolling Ryan Fitzpatrick out again and Fitzmagic shows up, Preston Williams may bust out some crazy games opposite DeVante Parker. Needless to say, if that happens, his prices will rise. Preston made it on to Scott Barrett's 'My Guys' List, so it’s worth searching for some of his cards. However…
Because Preston Williams went undrafted, he didn't make it into many card sets in 2019. He doesn't have a Prizm RC or an Optic RC. Select is the only "shiny" RC produced for Preston Williams, if he becomes one of those second-year breakout WRs, the Select RC card demand should increase significantly.
