Buzz Break: 2016 Panini Absolute Football (premium box)

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: 2016 Panini Absolute Football (retail premium box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (for a few formats)

Packs per box: 4
Cards per pack: 10
Cards in this box: 41
Base set completion: 
33 of 100 (33 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards – Tom Brady, J.J. Watt, Mark Ingram, Tony Romo, Todd Gurley, DeAndre Hopkins, Rob Gronkowski, Cam Newton, Dez Bryant, Matthew Stafford, Aaron Rodgers, Philip Rivers, Jameis Winston

Insert/short-print cards: 6 (all in gallery below with some base)
Blue parallels (1) – Adrian Peterson
Rookie Roundup (2) – Ezekiel Elliott, Myles Jack
Xtreme Team (1) – Rob Gronkowski
Unsung Heroes (1) – Danny Woodhead
Red Zone (1) – Allen Robinson

Autographs/Memorabilia: 2
Blue Rook Ink (1) – William Jackson III
Blue Rookie Force (1) – C.J. Prosise

What's Buzz-worthy: This long-running brand arrived with a few formats and this one was a retail-only box that guaranteed an auto and a memorabilia card every time. Ironically, it also delivered a slightly lower number of inserts and a lower number of base cards than a blaster box. Buzz picked up a pair of these for less than $10 in the recent sale here (they're still pretty cheap) and that's the best way to rip here. If you land the right name, it can be a decent little rip, though I'm not sure how easily one might land the better names among the hits here. This one felt like a relatively average (normal) box but was helped with an appearance from Ezekiel Elliott. The parallels here include Blue (not numbered) and Red (/100) and the inserts. It's not flashy in general but I like the look and feel of the base set here more than, say, this year's version and you do have the rookie class in this set that is pretty strong. Ripping on sale is the way to go here but your No. 1 look should be hobby boxes if you can swing it. These offer a starting taste with guaranteed hits, while the blasters did have them but not in every single box, which can be risky.

Product Grade: A
Box Grade: B
Fun Grade: B

Follow Buzz on Twitter @BlowoutBuzz or send email to BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com. 

>> Click here to buy cards on BlowoutCards.com

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_gallery type="image_grid" images="138796,138797,138798,138799,138800,138801,138802,138803,138804,138805,138806,138807,138808,138809"][/vc_column][/vc_row]