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Saquon Barkley, Alvin Kamara Lead NFLPA Rising Stars For Merch

Kamara is seen as a young veteran to watch who is projected to impact consumer salesGETTY IMAGES

Giants RB Saquon Barkley, Saints RB Alvin Kamara and Broncos QB Case Keenum project as future top-selling performers on the NFLPA's recently-released Rising Stars list. The list aims to identify the next crop of players who will impact consumer sales and rank among top sellers of officially licensed player-identified merchandise. In order to be considered, players must not have appeared in any previous quarterly or year-end NFLPA Top 50 Player Sales List. Barkley and Browns QB Baker Mayfield lead the list of rookies predicted to have high impact at retail. Kamara and Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette rank as bright young veterans to watch. Top free agents and major trade acquisitions in new markets for the '18 season are also positioned as likely high-volume retail performers in the NFLPA Rising Stars Familiar Faces, New Places category. Players expected to make a strong first impression with fans in new markets include Keenum and Cowboys WR Allen Hurns. Each of the three category rankings is developed by evaluating factors including draft position, on-field performance, fantasy football popularity, early demand from NFLPA sponsors for content and marketing and product submissions from NFLPA licensees. Since the first list in '15, 29 players have climbed from a Rising 50 designation to the quarterly or year-end NFLPA Top 50 Player Sales (NFLPA).

ROOKIES
RANK
PLAYER
1
Giants RB Saquon Barkley
2
Browns QB Baker Mayfield
3
Jets QB Sam Darnold
4
Bills QB Josh Allen
5
Cardinals QB Josh Rosen
VETERANS
RANK
PLAYER
1
Saints RB Alvin Kamara
2
Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette
3
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes
4
Jaguars CB Jalen Ramsey
5
Vikings RB Dalvin Cook
FAMILIAR FACES, NEW PLACES
RANK
PLAYER
1
Broncos QB Case Keenum
2
Cowboys WR Allen Hurns
3
Rams WR Brandin Cooks
4
Bears WR Allen Robinson
5
49ers RB Jerick McKinnon
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NFLPA Rising Stars

ON THE LINE: In Indianapolis, Scott Olson questioned if Colts' first-round draft pick G Quenton Nelson will "resonate with fans the same way" former NFLer Jeff Saturday did. Olson: "Will they buy Nelson’s jersey?" Indianapolis-based merchandising company MainGate President & CEO Dave Moroknek said that NFL linemen "usually don’t get the notoriety when it comes to jersey sales." Olsen wrote Nelson could "buck the trend, given his high selection and that he played college ball" nearby at Notre Dame. Moroknek: "He’ll sell more jerseys than a typical lineman. But when you look at jersey sales, it’s the skilled position players, that’s what sells" (IBJ.com, 5/2).

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