Drake Maye’s card market is moving the way quarterback markets usually move when one thing becomes undeniable: the team is winning, the games are high-stakes, and the young QB is now attached to January football.
Even after New England’s 35-31 collapse against the Buffalo Bills on December 14, the Patriots remain 11-3 and atop the AFC East, still very much in the race near the top of the conference standings.
And that’s the football hook collectors tend to buy: not a single box score, but the belief that Maye is leading a contender into a postseason spotlight.
Patriots’ playoff positioning is the real catalyst
As of Week 16, the Patriots are still positioned as one of the AFC’s top teams, and ESPN’s current playoff matchups even list New England as the No. 2 seed (with Denver holding the No. 1 seed).
That context matters because it’s what turns a second-year QB from “interesting” into “investable” in the hobby. When the Patriots are being discussed in terms of byes, seeding, and clinching scenarios, the card market typically responds, especially in liquid, easy-to-comp products like Prizm.
The Bills loss didn’t erase Maye’s season-long momentum
Buffalo’s comeback was real. The Bills erased a 21-point deficit to win and tightened up the AFC East race.
But Maye still produced “market-friendly” highlights (including two rushing touchdowns) while New England continues to control its fate in the playoff picture.
In other words: the loss is notable, but the broader story for collectors remains that Maye’s second year is attached to a Patriots team that’s 11-3 and still sitting near the top of the AFC standings.
Fresh card numbers: multiple Maye rookies are up sharply in 30 days
Here’s what the market trackers show right now:
- 2024 Panini Prizm #329 (Base, raw): Sports Card Investor lists it as up $3.17 (+39.9%) over the last 30 days, with a last sold price of $11.12. SportsCardsPro’s recent completed sales include multiple raw sales clustered roughly in the $6.50–$16.50 range in mid-December.
- 2024 Panini Prizm #329 (Silver, raw): up $37.44 (+22.8%) in 30 days with a last sold of $201.91, per Sports Card Investor.
- 2024 Donruss Optic Downtown #13 (raw): Sports Card Investor shows the Downtown is up $203 (+22.0%) over the last 30 days with a last sold of $1,125.00.
Those are not “noise” movements. When you see base climbing while premium chase cards also hold (and rise), it typically reflects broader demand — the hobby reacting to a young QB being tied to meaningful games, meaningful stakes, and a credible path into the postseason.
Maye’s 2025 statistical profile (why the market is buying in)
Through Week 15, Maye’s season-long production looks like the profile collectors typically chase: 3,567 passing yards (5th in the NFL), 23 passing TDs (tied for 5th), 7 interceptions, and a 71.2 Total QBR (3rd), per ESPN’s 2025 stat page. NFL.com’s weekly log also shows Maye adding a meaningful rushing component — including two rushing TDs vs. Buffalo on 4 carries for 43 yards — which has become a key part of his fantasy and highlight value (and, by extension, hobby momentum). In that Week 15 loss, he went 14-of-23 for 155 yards with one INT, but the broader story is the full-season efficiency and the “dual-threat” flashes that keep him in the national conversation as New England plays for seeding.
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