Lamar Jackson's season might be over, and so with it, a significant hobby investment down the drain. The multi-time MVP's unfortunate injury could have rippling effects across the card market in what easily became the biggest story of Week 8 of the NFL season.

No More Action for Jackson

Week 8 was supposed to be the triumphant return of the 29-year-old multi-time MVP quarterback, who had missed the previous three weeks with an ambiguously defined high-ankle sprain. One unfortunate play in the highly anticipated matchup against the Bills and Jackson was out again, this time thanks to an injury to his thumb on his throwing hand that will require surgery. The recovery timelines can vary with this type of injury, but it seems clear the All-Pro quarterback won't be available for the foreseeable future

For the Ravens, the injury could be a fascinating apex to the perpetual will-they-won't-they flirtation with moving on from their franchise signal caller, as Jackson effectively has one year left on his deal entering the offseason. That he could potentially miss 26 of the 102 games played since 2021 is an undeniable black mark for one of the most electrifying QBs in the game, and that availability will presumably get worse as he enters his 30s.

From a hobby perspective, there's no such macabre fascination. According to CardLadder, Jackson commands one of the largest footholds in terms of market cap among QBs of this past decade. Ancillary options like Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews, and highly-anticipated rookie Ja'Kobi Lane will also take dramatic dips in production, and subsequently market value. And even a sure-fire Hall of Famer in Derrick Henry could see a dramatic dip in short-term pricing, anchored by an offense that will be relying on undrafted rookie UConn free agent Joe Fagnano for the immediate future.

It's an undeniably frustrating circumstance for Ravens fans and for Jackson himself, but unquestionably a tsunami of bad news for a team many collectors presumed could push for the Super Bowl this year.

Tee Time for TLaw and the AFC South Crown

It's been a few weeks since we've checked in on the Jaguars, and all they've done is continue to win. Outside of a momentary blip in London against the Texans, Trevor Lawrence and company are off to a brilliant 5-2 start, with a date against the aforementioned Joe Fagnano and the Ravens on Thursday to kick off Week 9. If Vegas is correct about the result, Jacksonville will be 6-2 for just the third time in franchise history.

The market has finally started to notice. Trevor Lawrence's Silver Prizm PSA 10 Rookie from 2021 is now up to $1,275 from its $1,000 price tag since the start of September. The overall Trevor Lawrence Card Index on Cardladder projects an 11 percent growth in the same time span, a marker that encompasses the majority of the former No. 1 overall pick's top featured cards across various sets.

That trend might just continue throughout the month of November, as the Jaguars have separate dates against the Titans smashed inbetween an interesting matchup against the NFC East-leading Giants in Week 11 before seeing a bit more competition as the calendar turns towards November. That stretch might be all it takes to see Lawrence and the team sit atop the AFC standings, much less the AFC South, and should afford the 27-year-old to pad to his 17:4 TD:INT ratio, good for the third-best mark in the league to date.

It's also singularly useful that the Jaguars really don't have other defining pieces outside of their star QB. Parker Washington has been a revelation at times, but as a sixth-round pick in the 2023 Draft, there simply aren't many featured rookie cards available for him. Travis Hunter is one of the most recognizable players in the league thanks to his unique ability to be a WR and DB, but he's played 36 total offensive snaps through seven weeks as the team has needed his prowess more as a lockdown corner. Second-year back Bhayshul Tuten is having a breakout season, but he's still 15th in total rushing yards and doesn't get the same type of media attention as other running backs. If more platitudes start to come Jacksonville's way, Lawrence will be the one to reap all the rewards, and so too should card collectors.

The Bengals are on the Prowl

It's always hard to assume consistent good things will happen for the Bengals given years of bizarre no-shows and defensive disasters, but after falling behind early for the second consecutive week, Joe Burrow rallied the offense yet again, this time claiming a pivotal 43-36 overtime win over the Titans.

The Pro Bowl QB now has 724 passing yards and nine touchdowns to three interceptions in the two games after the bye while completing just under 77 percent of his passes. The AFC North still remains ultra-competitive, but with no Lamar Jackson, Cincinnati clearly has the best combination of quarterback and wide receivers in a division ripe for someone to claim it.

Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins have both been integral parts of the equation as the two have combined for comfortably 60-plus percent of that aforementioned yardage total, but that's nothing new for the duo when healthy. No, the reason for presumed optimism is on the back of a newfound defense that just might be disruptive enough to contend in the AFC.

Cincinnati retooled its defensive line in the offseason, signing pass rusher Boye Mafe and interior defensive tackle Jonathan Allen, but the main draw was the trade that brought over Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence for the 10th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The 28-year-old is playing at an All-Pro level as he's tied for the most sacks by an interior pass rusher (five) and second in tackles for a loss (nine).

The defensive additions matter only because that unit has let Burrow down time after time since his miraculous run to the Super Bowl in 2021. The star QB from the vaunted 2020 class has largely seen his market stagnate since the start of the season, but that could change with a few more excellent performances. A Week 10 date with the Steelers could go a long way in deciding how strong that market may be.