Players to Collect Before the 2026 NFL Season: Browns RB Quinshon Judkins
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It's worth reiterating that the 2026 NFL rookie class has little fanfare outside No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza and No. 3 pick Jeremiyah Love. Topps Flagship will be the debut product for the incoming rookies, but it's hard to get excited about an overall class that saw just nine total picks in the first round dedicated to QB, RB, WR, or TE.
The 2025 class, however, is littered with undervalued options that have proven to be successful at the NFL level. This series first tackled emerging star RB Omarion Hampton, who has seen his market uptick in the following months. Second-year running back Quinshon Judkins could be in a similar spot in the near future.
The Ohio State product finished a hair under 1,000 total yards in 14 games last season and posted a frustratingly low 3.6 yards per carry across his 230 carries. Hamstrung by a Cleveland offense that cycled between three quarterbacks and working behind an offensive line that saw eight different starting combinations through 12 weeks due to an assortment of injuries, it's arguable that Judkins' meager production was actually impressive given the ridiculous circumstances he was playing under.
Will Things Improve For the Cleveland Offense?
It's hard to say whether the aforementioned circumstances have gotten significantly better, but at minimum, there appears to be less ambiguity at quarterback this year with Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders fighting for the starting spot in training camp. It's debatable if either signal-caller will hold the job come 2027, but the cascade of disappointment that has been the Browns QB situation over the years shouldn't directly hinder Judkins in the same way it did in 2025.
That's in part because new head coach and offensive mind Todd Monken has been the architect of a handful of offenses, including the previous two years in Baltimore, that have routinely led the league in rushing yards. The Browns also brought in three new offensive line starters in Tyler Guyton, Elgton Jenkins, and Zion Johnson to help fortify a unit that had been roughshod due to injuries and advanced age.
The Case for Positive Hobby Regression
We in the hobby know that skill players struggle to hold significant weight, and that's further exacerbated when they're saddled on a team with no chance for postseason success. Part of the calculus is simply that Judkins will be one of the better running backs in the league by the end of Year 2, and he's in a fan market that has been favorable to players of a similar stature (Nick Chubb in particular).
The other part is that the ongoing PSA hold-up of some of the most sought-after rookie cards of either Topps or Panini product is relatively affordable and available. Case in point: Judkins' Radiating Rookie insert from 2025 Topps Chrome has multiple sales in the $75 range compared to Ashton Jeanty, the No. 6 overall pick in last year's class who performed only marginally better (1,321 yards) in three more games.
Collectors will have a hard time finding value in the 2026 rookie class, but there's plenty of meat on the bones when it comes to the 2025 group. So long as you're willing to look for it.
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Joe is an almost psychotic Wisconsin sports fan and long-time card collector. He has been producing videos, podcasts and articles across major sports and fantasy publications since 2015, and is likely the only person you know who has an Isaiah Simmons card collection.