What does an unexpected run through the playoffs and an extraordinary Super Bowl upset do to the demand for a player’s cards when the player came into the NFL with the kind of pressure that Manning faced? After several years of little demand, he has become one of the most hotly demanded players in the card market.

Manning’s 2004 rookies had long sat untouched at lofty prices on dealer’s shelves, but are now being pursued and selling quickly. Some of his hottest 2004 rookies include: Ultimate Collection (No. 130, up from $400 to $450), which is signed and numbered to 150; Bowman Chrome (No. 225, up from $200 to $300), which is signed and numbered to 199; Playoff Contenders (No. 131, up $50 to $400), which is signed and numbered to 372; SPx (No. 221, up from $250 to $350), which is signed and numbered to 375; and SP Authentic (No. 216, up from $500 to $600), which is signed and numbered to 299.

Most other Manning rookies are also experiencing a significant increase in demand, with most rookie single prices rising 50-100 percent.

And he has a lot of company
Another Giants’ standout during their playoff run was rookie running back Ahmad Bradshaw. If you ignore Week 16, Bradshaw netted six carries all season, but became a vital change-of-pace running in the postseason and was more effective than Brandon Jacobs. His cards were commons until the postseason, but are now as in demand as any 2007 rookie.

His 2007 Playoff Contenders Rookie Ticket Autograph is selling for around $120, while his SP Authentic rookie (signed and numbered to 1,199) and his Leaf Limited (signed and numbered to 291) are both selling for $100. All were $10-$20 a month ago.

While demand for Plaxico Burress, Aaron Ross, Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora is also up, most of the other collector focus is on Brandon Jacobs, Steve Smith and play-of-the-game receiver David Tyree.

Jacobs top 2005 rookies cards include: Upper Deck Exquisite Collection (No. 59, up from $200 to $300), Bowman Chrome (No. 255, up from $40 to $50) and Playoff Contenders (No. 110, up from $40 to $60).

Smith, like Bradshaw, is a 2007 rookie, which adds more fuel to the collector’s fire. His best singles are from Playoff Contenders (No. 223, $50), SPx (No. 214, up from $30 to $40) and Bowman Chrome (No. 86, $25).

Tyree’s cards are seeing activity for the first time. He was a rookie in 2003, but had caught only 54 passes for 650 yards and four touchdowns during his career, including four catches for 35 yards during all of 2007. That all changed when he caught three balls for 43 yards, including a miraculous one on the final drive, and a touchdown in the Super Bowl. His two best rookies are 2003 Playoff Contenders (No. 193, up from $15 to $60) and 2003 Bowman’s Best (No. 119, up from $10 to $50).