NBA rookie cards to watch, Week 1: who's heating up
AJ Dybantsa leads the NBA rookie card watch for Week 1 with a momentum score of 35: listed first at SF on his team's depth chart. Caleb Wilson and Cameron Boozer follow. These are performance signals collectors watch, not card prices and not financial advice.
| Player | Main reason | Score |
|---|---|---|
 AJ Dybantsa | Listed first at SF on his team's depth chart. | 35 |
 Caleb Wilson | Listed first at PF on his team's depth chart. | 35 |
 Cameron Boozer | Listed first at PF on his team's depth chart. | 35 |
 Darius Acuff | Listed first at SG on his team's depth chart. | 35 |
 Darryn Peterson | Listed first at SG on his team's depth chart. | 35 |
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NBA rookies and second-year players
Every signal behind each score, with its points. Preseason: Sleeper's depth charts and experience, with 2025-26 minutes. This season's lines join after three games.
- 1AJ DybantsaWAS SFRookie
- Role change +20: Listed first at SF on his team's depth chart.
- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
35momentum - 2Caleb WilsonCHI PFRookie
- Role change +20: Listed first at PF on his team's depth chart.
- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
35momentum - 3Cameron BoozerMEM PFRookie
- Role change +20: Listed first at PF on his team's depth chart.
- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
35momentum - 4Darius AcuffSAC SGRookie
- Role change +20: Listed first at SG on his team's depth chart.
- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
35momentum - 5Darryn PetersonUTA SGRookie
- Role change +20: Listed first at SG on his team's depth chart.
- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
35momentum - 6
Keaton WaglerLAC SGRookie- Role change +20: Listed first at SG on his team's depth chart.
- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
35momentum - 7
Mikel BrownBKN PGRookie- Role change +20: Listed first at PG on his team's depth chart.
- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
35momentum - 8
Yaxel LendeborgGSW SFRookie- Role change +20: Listed first at SF on his team's depth chart.
- Rookie or second year +15: Rookie season.
35momentum - 9
- Search demand +22: 11 Google readers opened his Parlae page this week, up from 0 the week before.
- Rookie or second year +8: Second NBA season.
30momentum - 10
- Search demand +18: 9 Google readers opened his Parlae page this week, up from 0 the week before.
- Rookie or second year +8: Second NBA season.
26momentum - 11
- Search demand +18: 9 Google readers opened his Parlae page this week, up from 0 the week before.
- Rookie or second year +8: Second NBA season.
26momentum - 12
- Search demand +16: 8 Google readers opened his Parlae page this week, up from 0 the week before.
- Rookie or second year +8: Second NBA season.
24momentum - 13
- Search demand +14: 7 Google readers opened his Parlae page this week, up from 0 the week before.
- Rookie or second year +8: Second NBA season.
22momentum
NBA rookie classes
- 2026 NBA rookie class: 50 players ranked, 8 with something moving this week, led by AJ Dybantsa (35).
- 2025 NBA rookie class: 50 players ranked, 15 with something moving this week, led by Khaman Maluach (30).
Established NBA players heating up
Players past their second season, on the same score: usage, role, leaders and search demand.
- 1
Josh GiddeyCHI PG- Search demand +25: 13 Google readers opened his Parlae page this week, up from 0 the week before.
25momentum - 2
Zion WilliamsonNOP PF- Search demand +22: 11 Google readers opened his Parlae page this week, up from 0 the week before.
22momentum - 3
Donovan ClinganPOR C- Search demand +20: 10 Google readers opened his Parlae page this week, up from 0 the week before.
20momentum
Most searched players on Parlae this week
Real Google readers who opened each player's Parlae page in the last seven days, against the seven before.
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How the momentum score works
Six signals, each with its own cap, added up and capped at 100. A player is listed at 20 or more, and only when something other than his rookie status is moving. Every number comes from data Parlae already stores; no card price is read or shown.
| Signal | Rule | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Usage trend | Share-based roles (snap share): 1 point per percentage point gained. Minutes, ice time and form: 1 point per 2 percent gained over his own earlier level. A gain counts from 8 points of share or 15 percent. | 30 |
| Search demand | 2 points per extra Google reader on his Parlae player page this week against last week, from 3 readers this week. | 25 |
| Role change | A promotion this week: top of his team's depth chart by snaps or minutes, or a first power-play unit he did not hold last season. | 20 |
| Leaders and award races | Rank 1 in his rookie class or at his position earns 20, then 2 fewer per rank, down to rank 10. | 20 |
| Rookie or second year | 15 for a rookie, 8 for a second-year player, counted only alongside another signal. | 15 |
| Injury return | Back in the lineup this week after missing at least one of his team's games. | 10 |
These are performance signals collectors watch, not card prices and not financial advice.
By the Parlae deskCard data updated Oct 15, 2026 at 3:22 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number