Buzz Break: 2018 Panini Contenders football cards (mega box)

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and break down 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: 2018 Panini Contenders football cards (mega box)
Where to buy: BlowoutCards.com (hobby and more)

Packs per box: 14
Cards per pack: 8
Cards in this box: 113
Base set completion: 
96 of 100 (96 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards: Larry Fitzgerald, Julio Jones, Matt Ryan, Cam Newton, Christian McCaffrey, Mitchell Trubisky, Ezekiel Elliott, Dak Prescott, Matthew Stafford, Aaron Rodgers, J.J. Watt, Deshaun Watson, Andrew Luck, Leonard Fournette, Patrick Mahomes II, Todd Gurley II, Jared Goff, Kenyan Drake, Tom Brady, Alvin Kamara, Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Amari Cooper, Khalil Mack, Derek Carr, Carson Wentz, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Antonio Brown, Jimmy Garoppolo, Russell Wilson, Derrick Henry

Insert cards: 14 (all in gallery below with some base)
Legendary Contenders (2) – John Riggins, Lawrence Taylor
MVP Contenders (3) – Antonio Brown, Derek Carr, Matthew Stafford
Rookie of the Year Contenders (4) – Josh Rosen, J'Mon Moore, Michael Gallup, Courtland Sutton
Round Numbers (3) – Minkah Fitzpatrick & Derwin James, Saquon Barkley & Sony Michel, Kerryon Johnson & Derrius Guice
Team Quads (2) – Patriots, Giants

Autographs/Memorabilia: 3*
Panini Rewards (1) – 150 points (could be as many as three cards*)
Rookie Ticket Swatches (2) – Cortland Sutton, Derrius Guice

What's Buzz-worthy: You ever get the First-pack Bummer Box that kills the anticipation of what you'll find inside when you pull the hit (or top hit) in the first pack? This was that. Atop that, my autograph was a Panini Rewards card (150 points) that I'll probably turn into as many as three cards at a later date not from this brand (and pay $5 shipping). This Target mega box guarantees ink, so getting a Rewards card is a bummer. (I can live with it a little more in a blaster where there's no guarantee of what you will get hit-wise ... so it feels like more of a "win.") The base design here is, in my mind, very strong and an improvement upon past sets though it still keeps with the whole Ticket format. (Last year might be one of my least-favorite designs, too, which helps this one.) These rips are dry, though the mega box delivers more inserts than what I can compare it to -- last year's blasters. I didn't go there this year and might not after this box. (I didn't buy much Contenders last year, either.) While I like the design and look, that first pack soured me from the start as Contenders is had been the brand for rookie ink though that might be changing. My memorabilia cards in this box were lesser names -- and, to add to my angst, lesser names I pulled in recent boxes of other brands. I like the looks of this one -- and hobby boxes will undoubtedly deliver plenty -- but this mega box didn't really do it for me. The typical Contenders stuff can be found in this one -- thumbs up -- and there are some new additions that also could be fun in the mix to make it even better this year. They were simply nowhere to be found in this box.

Product Grade: A
Box Grade: C (an average box at best)
Fun Grade: B-

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