Last updated: 2026-04-19
The 2025 rookie classes in the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, and WNBA are now a full season in, and the hobby is already reshuffling around the names that showed up. Cooper Flagg landed in Dallas. Cam Ward went #1 to Tennessee. Roman Anthony is raw-producing in Boston. And for the first time since 2009, Topps has the NBA license back. Here are the rookie cards we think are worth tracking at ORB Trading Cards heading into the 2026 card season.
At a glance
- Cooper Flagg, drafted #1 overall by the Dallas Mavericks, is the face of 2025-26 NBA cards
- Topps took over the exclusive NBA license on October 1, 2025, ending 16 years of Panini
- Cam Ward (#1 Titans) and Travis Hunter (#2 Jaguars) headline the 2025 NFL rookie class
- Roman Anthony (Red Sox) and Jackson Holliday (Orioles) lead a deep 2025-26 MLB class
- PSA raised Value-tier grading prices by $5 per card effective February 10, 2026
NFL Rookie Cards to Watch
The 2025 NFL Draft class is a full season in and the hobby has its answers. At ORB Trading Cards, we've sold more 2025 Panini Prizm Draft Picks Football boxes than any football product since 2024 Prizm.
Top NFL Rookies from the 2025 Class
- Cam Ward (QB, Tennessee Titans), #1 overall, Miami. Heisman finalist. His 2025 Panini Prizm Draft Picks Autograph is the single hottest football rookie right now
- Travis Hunter (CB/WR, Jacksonville Jaguars), #2 overall, Colorado. The only two-way player in recent memory to play meaningful snaps on both sides, and the 2024 Heisman winner
- Abdul Carter (Edge, New York Giants), #3 overall, Penn State
- Ashton Jeanty (RB, Las Vegas Raiders), #6 overall, Boise State. First RB drafted top-10 since Saquon Barkley in 2018, 2,601 rushing yards and 29 TDs in 2024
- Shedeur Sanders (QB, Cleveland Browns), Round 5. The draft-day slide is already the 2025 story the hobby will remember
Best NFL Products for the 2025 Rookies
| Product | Why it matters | Typical hobby box price |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Panini Prizm Draft Picks Football | First licensed rookies, draft class focus | $150-$250 |
| 2025 Panini Prizm Football (NFL flagship) | The mainstream RC set collectors chase | $300-$450 |
| 2025 Donruss Optic | Clean design, strong secondary market | $90-$150 |
| 2025 Panini Contenders | On-card rookie autographs, ticket design | $250-$400 |
Panini holds the NFL license through the 2025 season products. Fanatics/Topps takes over for subsequent NFL seasons, so 2025 Panini Prizm is effectively the end of an era for Panini NFL.
NBA Rookie Cards: The Topps Takeover
The biggest hobby story of the 2025-26 NBA season is not a player. It is that Topps has the NBA license back for the first time since 2009. The exclusive transferred on October 1, 2025, ending 16 years of Panini as the official NBA card maker. Prizm Basketball 2024-25 was the last Panini flagship. Everything going forward is Topps.
Key 2025-26 NBA Rookies
- Cooper Flagg (F, Dallas Mavericks), #1 overall, Duke. Wooden and Naismith Award winner. Cover athlete for 2025-26 Topps Basketball, which launched October 2025
- Dylan Harper (G, San Antonio Spurs), #2 overall, Rutgers
- VJ Edgecombe (G, Philadelphia 76ers), #3 overall, Baylor
- Kon Knueppel (G, Charlotte Hornets), #4 overall, Duke. Set an NBA record for three-pointers made in the first seven games of a career
- Ace Bailey (F, Utah Jazz), #5 overall, Rutgers
Best 2025-26 Topps NBA Products
| Product | Why it matters | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 Topps Basketball (flagship) | First Topps NBA flagship since 2009, Flagg on the cover | Launched October 2025 |
| 2025-26 Topps Chrome Basketball | Refractor parallels, the chase for most collectors | Q2 2026 release |
| 2025-26 Topps NBA Hoops | NBA-owned release, first RCs for many | Budget entry point |
| Topps NOW NBA Draft cards | On-demand print cards for draft night | Live since June 2025 |
For Panini, the 2024-25 cycle was the last flagship under the exclusive license. Panini can still release non-NBA-licensed products (think: player-association-only cards with no team logos) but the big-name NBA flagships are Topps now.
MLB Rookie Cards
Baseball America called the 2026 MLB rookie class "one of the best ever." The 2025 class that preceded it is already showing why. ORB Trading Cards tracks 2025 and 2026 Bowman closely because the Bowman Chrome autos on this class are where the hobby's money is going.
Top MLB Rookies and Prospects to Watch
- Roman Anthony (OF, Boston Red Sox). 2025 top prospect. Featured in 2025 Bowman's Best Top Prospects as TP-16. Bowman Chrome auto prices have climbed through 2025-26
- Jackson Holliday (2B, Baltimore Orioles). 2022 #1 overall pick, now in his full rookie cycle. Included in the 2025 Bowman's Best quadruple-auto chase with the last four #1 overalls
- Paul Skenes (RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates). Already a Cy Young winner; his 2024 Bowman Chrome 1st Bowman autos remain the chase rookie pitcher card
- Jesús Made (SS prospect, Milwaukee Brewers). 2025 Bowman chase
- Roki Sasaki (RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers). International signing with 2025 1st Bowman cards
- Konnor Griffin, Jac Caglianone, Jacob Misiorowski: 2026 class names already showing up in 2025 Bowman
Best MLB Products for the 2025-26 Class
| Product | Why it matters | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Bowman Baseball | First Bowman auto for every new signee | $90-$140 hobby |
| 2025 Bowman's Best | Refractor parallels, 4 autos per hobby box | ~$340 MSRP |
| 2026 Topps Series 1 | 75th anniversary Topps flagship, base RCs | Q1 2026 |
| 2026 Topps Chrome | Chrome refractor parallels of flagship rookies | Mid-2026 |
For baseball, 1st Bowman Chrome autos are almost always the RC to chase over the Topps flagship because Bowman gets autos first.
NHL Rookie Cards
NHL cards are a smaller hobby than NBA/NFL but Macklin Celebrini and Ivan Demidov have brought new attention to 2025-26 Upper Deck Hockey. Upper Deck still holds the exclusive NHL card license.
Top 2025-26 NHL Rookies
- Macklin Celebrini (C, San Jose Sharks). 2024 #1 overall pick, now in his first full NHL season. Featured in 2025-26 Upper Deck Credentials, UD Encore, and Upper Deck Allure (Hues Next Autograph)
- Ivan Demidov (RW, Montreal Canadiens). Russian import, one of the most-anticipated Young Guns in 2025-26 Upper Deck Series 1 Hockey
- Ryan Leonard (RW, Washington Capitals), Logan Cooley, other first-season NHL forwards rounding out the class
The Young Guns insert set in Upper Deck Series 1 is historically the most valuable NHL rookie card for any given class. For 2025-26 that means Demidov is the chase.
WNBA Rookie Cards
The WNBA card market got its Caitlin Clark moment in 2024. In 2025, Paige Bueckers picked up the torch.
Top 2025 WNBA Rookies
- Paige Bueckers (G, Dallas Wings), #1 overall pick, 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year. Her 2025 Panini Prizm WNBA #147 is the flagship WNBA RC of the year. Raw copies $5-$15, PSA 10s in the $30-$100 range, autos approach $1,000
- JuJu Watkins (incoming class, USC). Prospect interest is already driving 2026 Bowman U and USC college-exclusive card value
Smart Collecting Strategies
Not every rookie card is a buy. Here is how we think about it at ORB.
Grading Considerations in 2026
PSA raised prices across Value tiers effective February 10, 2026. Current tier pricing as of April 2026:
| PSA Tier | Price | Turnaround | Max card value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value Bulk (Collectors Club, 20+ cards) | $24.99/card | 95 business days | $500 |
| Value | $32.99/card | 75 business days | $500 |
| Value Plus | $49.99/card | 45 business days | $1,000 |
Raw-to-PSA 10 math: at $32.99 Value pricing plus shipping, a modern card needs to sell for $80-$100 in a PSA 10 to make grading profitable. Below that, grading eats the margin. If you bring 10+ cards to ORB, we submit them under our bulk service and you get Value-tier pricing without the individual account setup.
Timing the Market
- Buy during off-season, when the sport is not in play and prices typically dip
- Sell during hot streaks, when player performance drives short-term spikes
- Hold the generational talents (think Hall of Fame trajectory) for long-term. Selling a Flagg RC in October 2025 was probably a mistake. Selling an average #15-pick RC in the same window probably was not
Rookie Card Designation
Always confirm the card has the official RC logo. Bowman prospect cards are not technically RCs. First Bowman Chrome for baseball is the primary hobby chase anyway, but know the distinction when you list or sell.
Where to Find Rookie Cards
| Source | Strengths | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Local Card Shops (ORB) | Inspect condition in person, hold real inventory | Single-store selection |
| Hobby Boxes | Chase your own hits, understand box odds | Pack-to-hit variance is brutal |
| Online Marketplaces (eBay, COMC) | Broadest selection, live auction prices | Can't pre-inspect, fake risk |
| Whatnot live breaks | Entertainment, group-break pricing | Stick to verified sellers |
| Consignment | Sell your collection through a trusted dealer | Fees vary; ORB is 10% on $100+, 15% under |
Visit ORB Trading Cards
Whether you are looking to buy, sell, or get your rookie cards graded, ORB Trading Cards is the Portland metro area's destination.
What we offer:
- Curated selection of sports card singles and sealed product
- Competitive prices on rookie cards across NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and WNBA
- PSA grading submission service, bulk tier shipping weekly on Tuesdays
- Consignment: 10% fee on items $100+, 15% on items under $100, among the most competitive rates in the Pacific Northwest
- Expert staff who follow the market daily
If you want to keep up with what is coming next, see our 2026 TCG Release Calendar for trading card release dates, and our beginner collector guide if you are new to the hobby.
Visit us: 1900 McLoughlin Blvd, Suite 127, Oregon City, OR 97045
Hours: 11am-7pm, 7 days a week
Call: (503) 389-5404
Shop Online: shop.orbsportscards.com
FAQ
What is the #1 rookie card to watch in 2026?
The single most-talked-about rookie card across all sports in 2026 is Cooper Flagg in 2025-26 Topps Basketball. He was the #1 overall pick, the cover athlete for the first Topps NBA flagship since 2009, and the hobby has treated his RC as the flagship product of the entire 2025-26 season.
Is it better to buy graded or raw rookie cards?
For most collectors under $100 per card, raw is the right answer. PSA Value-tier grading costs $32.99 per card as of April 2026 plus shipping, so a PSA 10 needs to sell for roughly $80-$100 before grading is worth the fee. Above that threshold, graded usually wins for resale and long-term hold.
When do rookie card prices peak?
Generally in the player's first full professional season, during a hot performance streak (rookie-of-the-year run, playoff performance, awards). Prices often soften in the 2nd and 3rd years before stabilizing. Long-term, only generational talents (Jordan, LeBron, Trout, Mahomes, Brady) hold premium pricing a decade out.
Who picks up the NBA card license now that Panini lost it?
Topps. The exclusive transferred on October 1, 2025. 2025-26 Topps Basketball is the first Topps NBA flagship since 2009. Panini can still produce non-NBA-licensed cards (player images only, no team logos) but the official NBA flagships, Topps Chrome, and Topps NOW are now the primary modern NBA products.
Does ORB Trading Cards buy rookie cards?
Yes. We buy modern rookie cards outright or take them on consignment. Bring your cards by the shop in Oregon City, or email support@orbsportscards.com for a remote evaluation. We pay competitive rates based on TCGPlayer and eBay market data.
Sources verified: 2026-04-19
ORB Team
The crew at ORB Trading Cards in Oregon City, OR. We buy, sell, trade, consign, run local card events, and help collectors find the right next card. Read more about us.