In many ways, Jayson Tatum rookie cards are among the overlooked options at some point this season. For sure, the Boston Celtics' struggles early in the season contributed to the All-Star forward's plunge in the card market. The thing is, he remains to be a talented guy who can take any franchise and elevate them into instant playoff contenders. And with the numbers he has been posting lately, it doesn't really match the value his stock has gone down to.

With more and more attention being given to Ja Morant's stock, thanks to his attention-grabbing performance this season, there's still a pretty good case to be made for the Celtics' young star. We tackle down below why Tatum's cards are a good buy at this point of the season.

The main reason why Jayson Tatum rookie cards shouldn't be overlooked

For the past few years, the Celtics have always made deep playoff runs, only to be eliminated by the better team. This pattern has led some to believe that the best option Boston should take is to trade either one of Tatum or Jaylen Brown for pieces that will elevate the squad. With the Celtics suffering early in the season, this idea was floated more heavily, much to the annoyance of Tatum himself.

All of the frustration boiled before the new year even began with Boston holding a 16-17 record on Christmas day itself. Once the holidays were over, something changed and caused the Celtics to surge up through the Eastern Conference standings.

As last year ended, Boston found itself with a 17-19 record. Once Tatum returned to the lineup after missing four games due to entering health and safety protocols, the Celtics went on a rampage and rose through the rankings. In the 25 games Tatum has played since that time, he has posted averages of 26 points on 46% shooting from the field, 34% from beyond the arc, and 87% from the free throw line. He's also adding 8.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 35.3 minutes per contest.

With Tatum as one of Boston's key pieces during that 25-game stretch, the team has improved to a 36-26 record. During that period, the Celtics went on an 18-7 run that had the team rise in the East.

This places Boston in 6th place in the Eastern Conference, ahead of the Toronto Raptors and Brooklyn Nets. While there's still a chance for other teams to catch them in the standings, causing them to enter the play-in tournament, their sudden improvement as a team has certainly put everyone on notice.

With the trade deadline adding new pieces to help complement the Tatum and Brown combo, it seems that the Celtics are full steam ahead towards the postseason. And as the regular season races to its eventual end in the coming months, more and more people will have to acknowledge that the younger of the two is certainly making an impact for Boston. The thing is, some Jayson Tatum rookie cards haven't properly reflected his recent performances yet in the market.

The state of Jayson Tatum rookie cards

The Celtics' All-Star has always been one of the hobby's more prominent names. And while the likes of Luka Doncic and Ja Morant have overtaken him, these Jayson Tatum rookie cards still have a good worth in the market. But in recent months, it can't be denied that they're on a downward trend.

Jayson Tatum, Celtics, NBA CardsIn a three-month graph by Card Ladder, a PSA 10 Prizm Silver Jayson Tatum rookie card has gone down from $1,413 to $815. This drop represents -42.32% rate of growth from 71 confirmed sales during the given period. As a result, this card's average price currently sits at $1,108. Without a doubt, that's a solid downward trajectory for the Celtics' starting forward.

While the Prizm Silvers aren't doing so good, the base Prizm Jayson Tatum rookie cards are on the opposite end of the spectrum.

Jayson Tatum, Celtics, NBA CardsIn another Card Ladder graph covering the same three-month period, Tatum's PSA 10 base Prizm has gone up from $205 to $237, resulting in a 15.49% growth rate. While this isn't a massive jump for the Celtics' All-Star, it does bode well for his stock, especially if Boston continues to rise up in the rankings.

The verdict on Jayson Tatum rookie cards

Even if there are instances when Tatum goes cold on the court, it can't be denied that he possesses enough talent to bounce back. It also helps that between him and Brown, more collectors gravitate towards Jayson Tatum rookie cards as the better prospect.

Jayson-Tatum-Celtics-NBA-Cards

And speaking of prospect, the drop in his PSA 10 Prizm Silver stock isn't necessarily a reason to stay away from it. As a matter of fact, it's the ideal time to get these cards as they're a good bargain right now. It's rare that a player of Tatum's caliber has a coveted Silver rookie card that's worth less than a thousand dollars. Common sense dictates that those who encounter such a card at that given price level should immediately get it right away.

For those who are wary, keep in mind that Tatum's stock is nowhere near the fear Zion Williamson cards are causing in the hobby. It only means his early-season struggles are still driving his Prizm Silver prices, which gives collectors a good chance to invest in the Celtics' All-Star forward.