J.J. McCarthy’s first handful of games in New York has already pushed the Giants into a place almost nobody saw coming.
After Jaxson Dart’s season-ending injury, the former Vikings quarterback stepped into the spotlight and immediately gave the Giants a jolt. He followed up his strong game against the Saints with another eye-catching performance in Sunday’s shocking win over the Texans, throwing for 252 yards with only eight incompletions. New York heads into its Week 8 bye with real momentum, and in a battered NFC East, that has the Giants looking like a team that could get back to the postseason for the first time since 2022.
That kind of leap has not gone unnoticed in the hobby. McCarthy’s PSA 10 2024 Silver Prizm rookie was at $200 before the trade, and in the weeks since, multiple sales have topped $300. The timing makes the spike even more notable, with the Giants on bye and unable to add to the buzz for another week.
There is still a rough road ahead. Starting in Week 11, the Giants are projected to face all but one team with a winning record before what could be a meaningless Week 18 matchup with the Eagles.
A true quarterback controversy would also complicate matters, especially with the hobby already heavily invested in Jaxson Dart. But for now, the story is McCarthy, and New York’s growing postseason outlook is tied directly to what he’s doing under center.
Another player forcing his way into the conversation is Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Through seven weeks, he has piled up 867 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, with CeeDee Lamb next closest in both categories at 651 yards and six scores. The gap in receiving yards between Smith-Njigba and Lamb is nearly the same as the gap between Lamb and the 21st-ranked player in the category, Mike Evans.
It has been a remarkable start for last season’s Offensive Player of the Year, even if he still seems to be mentioned behind names like Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. In the card market, his flagship PSA 10 Silver 2023 rookie has recently been changing hands around $340, up from preseason pricing in the $200-$220 range.
That raises the obvious question: what does Smith-Njigba need to do to lock in his place among the game’s elite, and push that card even higher? One path is to sustain this pace across the back half of the season and into next year.
Calvin Johnson still owns the two-season receiving yardage record with 3,645 from 2011-12, while Antonio Brown sits second at 3,532 from 2014-15. Smith-Njigba is in striking distance of those marks, and a run at them would only strengthen the case that he is building something historic.
Cleveland is making its own noise, too. The Browns are 5-2 for just the second time since returning to Cleveland in 1999, and their Week 8 meeting with the Steelers will determine who sits alone atop the AFC North.
That standing is a surprise given where expectations sat before the season. Las Vegas had Cleveland at +2200 to win the division, and preseason talk even included rumors of Deshaun Watson losing the starting job to one of the young quarterbacks on the roster, most likely Shedeur Sanders. Instead, the Browns have stayed afloat with ball control and enough timely game-winning drives to keep stacking wins, even through a favorable early schedule.
The passing game has also shown signs of life thanks to rookie receivers KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston, who have both delivered key fourth-quarter plays in those wins. Running back Quinshon Judkins has been part of the surge as well, with three games over 70 total yards in his last four outings.
With 2026 NFL Topps Chrome set for November 18, Cleveland could wind up with one of the strongest team break spots in the product. If the Browns keep winning, that case only gets stronger.
In Other News...
Seahawks Tight End Move Signals A Different Plan After Elijah Arroyo Injury
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Sims brings a more receiving-oriented profile and the kind of athleticism Seattle appears to want in Arroyos absence, while Deguara had been more of a blocking and H-back piece. It is a small transaction on paper, but it reflects a broader adjustment in how the Seahawks are trying to fill the gap and keep the tight end spot functional in a different way. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Are Suddenly Linked To A Blockbuster Move They Can't Ignore
The Seahawks have already made one major move to fortify the offense with the addition of Quenton Nelson, and now another name is floating into the conversation that would reshape the unit even more. Saquon Barkley has surfaced as a possible trade target as Philadelphias roster direction comes into question after recent losses, and his blend of production and star power is the kind of swing-for-the-fences addition that would instantly change how Seattle is viewed on that side of the ball.
For Seattle, the appeal is obvious: Barkley would give the offense a high-end runner who can alter game plans and help take pressure off the rest of the attack. He is coming off a standout stretch that has only reinforced his value, which is why the idea has gained traction so quickly. Nothing is official, and no deal has been reported, but it is the sort of speculation the Seahawks cannot dismiss lightly if the possibility stays alive. [Read more 🡒]
Former Seahawks Trend Is Raising New Questions About Riq Woolen
As the NFL season moves along, several former Seahawks keep surfacing in familiar ways, and not all of those reminders have been flattering for Seattle. Boye Mafe has turned in a strong defensive showing with the Cincinnati Bengals, DK Metcalf is settling into a different kind of role with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Kenneth Walker IIIs return against Seattle did not exactly land with the kind of punch some expected. For Seahawks fans, it is another look at how much roster churn can change the shape of a teams story in just a short time.
Riq Woolens recent outing with the Philadelphia Eagles has only added to the conversation around one of Seattles most intriguing defensive questions. The talent has never been the issue, but recent struggles have made his place on the roster harder to read as the season develops, especially with trade talk now in the background. For a team that has already watched former contributors make their mark elsewhere, Woolens situation feels like one of the more interesting threads still hanging out there. [Read more 🡒]