With these Ticket Stud or Ticket Dud stories I'm turning just a tiny bit of that energy just a few degrees away from cards (we'll still have plenty of them here) for a different kind of cardboard. What am I doing? Simple ... this is an occasional dip into some random ticket lots -- a show and tell showing something small with a story.

This time? An NFL throwback that has the star player on the ticket itself.

Keep reading to see the details this time ... and tell me if you think it's a Ticket Stud or a Ticket Dud.

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Fast Five is a quick list that might offer a basic starting point for a themed collection or new focus -- five things that could be fun for a beginner or a new way to add something to your stash if you're a grizzled veteran.

This time? Five NFL rookies who are impressing Buzz this season (on offense).

THE TOP QB
Mac Jones -- QB, Patriots (Rookie Cards in 2021 boxes)
Trevor Lawrence got all the attention heading into the season -- especially on cardboard with his own standalone crd sets -- but while the yardage is there for him pretty much nothing else is impressive on the NFL rookie stat sheet this year or in the standings. Mac Jones, though? The numbers are there as him being the top rookie QB of the year so far with 245 of 349 passes completed for 2,540 yards and 14 TDs with just eight picks in 11 games. He's 399 yards ahead of Lawrence (who has only played 10 games and only has eight TDs). Jones isn't as mobile as, say, Lawrence or Justin Fields but the numbers are there and his team is atop the AFC East, too. Are the stats freakish like, say, Justin Herbert last year? Nope, but they don't seem to be unrealistic to show that he's done well and could be around for some time. He's expensive as an Alabama title-winner -- he'll always be popular in that regard -- so I'd be selective with grabs, but all those pricey cards could still have a big up-side if he's the franchise guy like people hope.

Keep reading for four more making up the list this time.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing: Dodgers vs. Braves, NFL Week 6 chatter, Urban Meyer, pondering the boom and more in this edition.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing: Ripping into 2021 Donruss and The Walking Dead, a 1/1 auto missing its ink and more on this NFL Sunday.

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Fast Five is a quick list that might offer a basic starting point for a themed collection or new focus -- five things that could be fun for a beginner or a new way to add something to your stash if you're a grizzled veteran.

This time? Five NFL players who impressed Buzz in Week 1.

A STAR OFF THE RADAR?
Kyler Murray -- QB, Arizona Cardinals (Rookie Cards in 2019 boxes)
He's put up big numbers in the past -- 7,982 yards and 50 TDs in his career -- but the opener was a big one as the Cardinals knocked off the Tennessee Titans 38-13 with him throwing for 289 yards and four TDs. Was that expected? Maybe, maybe not. (I didn't.) He's still pricey but my gut feeling is that other QBs from recent years might be getting a little more attention than Murray. Sure, he's pricey -- most younger QBs are -- but I think if you find some cheaper options here there is potential with a successful season. I think he's easily the top dog on his team for cardboard.

Keep reading for four more making up the list this time.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing: eBay vs. PWCC, NFL breaks, "Urbz and the Jagz," NBA chatter, identifying ink and ... who do you pick from his trio?

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Fast Five is a quick list under a simple topic that might offer a basic starting point for a themed collection. It's a basic list of five items that could be fun for a starting collector or a new way to add to a stash that might already seemingly include everything when it comes to cardboard. For some of you, it's probably common sense. For others of you out there, it's perhaps something to ponder.

This time? NFL rookies who should be on your radar -- and are in 2020 boxes here.

THE NEW MAHOMES?
Justin Herbert -- QB, San Diego Chargers
OK, that label might be a bit much ... or it might not be. A look at the stat sheet for this season shows the rookie from Oregon behind only Mahomes for passing yards (and it's by a pretty distant amount) but Herbert's season is one that is about to be record-setting. In last night's game, he tied the rookie TD passing record with his 27th and games to go. (The record is only two years old, though, belonging to Baker Mayfield so consider his cardboard's journey the last couple years.) For the year, he's completed 353 of 531 passes for 3,781 yards and has 10 interceptions. He's also got four rushing TDs ... one coming in OT last night. Mahomes only played one game as a rookie but threw 50 TDs in his first season as a starter. Buying Herbert now might be buying them at a high point but it wouldn't hurt to stockpile cheap ones or PSA/BGS 9s in slabs and hold for the time being.

Keep reading for four more making up the list this time.

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There were a few surprises in Week 1 of the NFL season but some of those simply aren't in spots that will affect cardboard all that dramatically. For example? The Buffalo Bills got spanked 47-3 and were down big at halftime, leading to the NFL debut of QB Josh Allen ... as you can see by the score, that just didn't matter. (He went 3-for-11 for 40 yards ... we'll worry about him in some future week.)

This week? There were some comebacks, some surprises due to injuries and suspensions and some highlight-reel runs that won't hurt cardboard at all.

That last one? It belonged to New York Giants rookie RB Saquon Barkley who broke off a 68-yarder for his first NFL touchdown. That came part of a 106-yard day that was all for naught as the Jacksonville Jaguars won, 20-15. Barkley also added two catches for 22 yards to help him stay on the radar of many collectors, though, and highlight-reel moments probably matter more than Ws when it comes to cardboard -- so that's the kind of play that works.

>> Click here to shop for football boxes on BlowoutCards.com  >> Check out Saquon Barkley autos on eBay

Keep reading for more guys who generated some buzz on the field this week.

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The Blowout Cards Forums are where thousands of collectors converge daily to discuss, well, a little bit of everything. Here are a few threads about collecting and more that you should check out right now.

What's Buzzing Today: Big pulls, collector discussions and more Buzzing as we start a new week.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars clinched their first playoff berth in a decade on Sunday with a 45-7 spanking of the Houston Texans and there was a pair of wide receivers helping lead the way.

While we know this team is one where a bruising defense is perhaps making the biggest waves on the field in "Sacksonville," but there is a collecting key on these two rookie WRs.

One, Keelan Cole, doesn't even have cardboard -- so there should be interest when he does (Panini Instant?) -- and the other, Jaydon Mickens, has very little that's been largely overlooked meaning there could be some serious movement going forward if Sunday's game is a potential indicator of more to come.

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I've collected for decades -- both cardboard and beyond with plenty of autographs and game-used memorabilia in my stash -- but my biggest Black Friday find this year was one that I couldn't have topped if I had tried.

(Well, at least on my budget.)

It's my first full game-used NFL item and it comes with a pretty strong story but without my having to pay a premium price to go with it. How? It all came down to doing some research.

For a few months now I had been obsessing about finding a game-used NFL football for the heck of it -- a whim, really -- simply finding any ball on the cheap yet with some semblance of ironclad authentication. Better than that would be a ball with those attributes and also with some type of tie to what I collect, which really isn't any one particular NFL team or player but instead my school and many of its recent stars, the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Thanks to Fanatics' business deal with its hometown Jacksonville Jaguars, the ball you see above is a reality in my collection and it came on the cheap for what it really is. That's thanks in part to the Getty Images app that anyone can download on their phone -- it's a free tool that any game-used memorabilia collector must have.

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There were surprises and new arrivals on the NFL rookie front -- and that's just Week 1.

Six newcomers stepped up with none perhaps more surprising the Kansas City RB Kareem Hunt, who helped the Chiefs pull off a dominating 42-27 win over the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots on Thursday night. He had 17 carries for 148 yards and a touchdown — and seven catches for 133 yards and a 75-yard score. Not bad for a third-rounder out of Toledo.

As you should already know from last week, he already appears on more than 450 different cards with nearly 300 of those being certified autos. He’s got 15 RCs so far by the standard (non-insert) definition and nearly 140 memorabilia cards and is found in most 2017 releases -- just like most of our other notables from Sunday.

Who made the cut? Keep reading.

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There's a chance you'll be seeing more of Brennan Williams on cardboard and on TV -- but that's potentially a long ways away.

And it probably won't be with that name, either.

World Wrestling Entertainment announced a new signee for its developmental ranks on Monday and it's Williams, who is a former third-round draft pick who spent time on the sidelines and the practice squad. He'll join the NXT hopefuls at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla.

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As the season winds down (and fantasy season's like Buzz's are flat-out over), some players are in situations where it's just about tallying their stats to see how it ends. Others have postseason potential, but for the stars on those teams -- like the undefeated Panthers and QB Cam Newton -- the expectations are set and they are set high.

With an undefeated team, it goes without saying that Newton is a player to watch this week and you should've been eyeing his Rookie Cards from 2011 for some time now.

Keep reading for four more players to watch ...

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Jerseys from the Jacksonville Jaguars' Bold Rush game where the team wore striking gold uniforms are on the auction block benefitting charity with the sales ending later this weekend.

All proceeds from the jerseys worn during the team's 19-13 win over the Tennessee Titans on Nov. 19 will go to the the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation, which "supports programs benefiting economically and socially disadvantaged youth, families and other NFL and team charitable initiatives."

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Jeremy Langford might not be the Bears rookie that many thought would be stirring things up in Chicago, but in Week 10 he was just that with 20 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown as well as seven catches for 109 yards and a score. On the season, the fourth-rounder out of Michigan State has four rushing touchdowns and 225 yards -- most of that in the last two weeks. when Matt Forte has been out due to injury. Could the Bears have a new option here on offense? Sure seems like it.

>> Click here to shop for 2015 football boxes on BlowoutCards.com.

He's not the only Chicago Bear who generated some buzz on the field this week.

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