Buzz Break: 2021 Donruss football cards (holiday blaster)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The box: 2021 Donruss NFL cards (holiday blaster)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Keep reading for a full breakdown and gallery of highlights from this one.

Packs per box: 11
Cards per pack: 8
Cards per box: 88
Base set completion: 
61 of 250 (24 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Joe Burrow, Randy Moss, Tua Tagovailoa, Derrick Henry, Shaun Alexander, Lamar Jackson, Matthew Stafford, Myles Garrett, Dak Prescott

Insert/short-print cards: 26 (all in gallery below with some base)
Rated Rookies (SP) (11) – Zach Wilson, Kadarius Toney, Jaelan Phillips, Javian Hawkins, Kelvin Joseph, Zaven Collins, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Jevon Holland, Kylen Granson, Dyami Brown, Carlos Basham
Red & Green Rated Rookie Optic Preview (1) – Elijah Mitchell
1991 Retro (1) – Josh Jacobs
Dominators (1) – Justin Tucker
Power Formulas (1) – D.K. Metcalf
Photo variations (11) – Tom Brady, Jalen Hurts, Baker Mayfield, D.K. Metcalf, Julio Jones, Joe Burrow, Barry Sanders, Darius Leonard, Drew Brees, Saquon Barkley, Chase Young

Autographs/Memorabilia: 1
Rookie Holiday Sweater (1) – Kadarius Toney

What’s Buzz-worthy: The flippers out there must have finally moved on beyond Donruss as I was finally able to land my first blaster of the year for this one -- and it's the second-wave holiday blaster this time, not a normal one. These guarantee an Optic Preview rookie every time as well as a sweater memorabilia card as you can see above. There are also standard inserts but the overall lineup is simplified in this one as you can see on the odds panel here. Beyond those two exclusives, you get 11 Rookie Cards out of the 100 in the set and 11 of the 50 variation cards in every box here so there's some incentive to rip a few as the Rated Rookies, while clearly plentiful at this point between hobby, retail, this run and factory sets, are in demand from this one. These blasters are slightly higher than normal price with their suggested retail price but not as high as others on Optichrome stock this year. I think that move is also dampening things out there in the retail wild in some spots -- it's certainly curbing my habits at one or none in some cases -- but Donruss is a nice, safe buy to dabble with for an NFL collector, though one should keep in mind that Optic is coming, too. My box wasn't great but it was hurt by being dropped at some point with damage to my best Rated Rookie pronounced on one corner and then a number of others showing varying dings. The Optic card got it (top left) to a lesser degree but it nixed any notions of grading or re-sale for notable finds here. Will I do more? Maybe. I also may just pick off singles I want to have here or grab a factory set. There are a lot of options.

Product Grade: A
Box Grade: B+ (see below)
Fun Grade: B (landed a box with a number of mangled corners for many packs)

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