NFL Defensive Player of the Year Odds 2026
The race for NFL Defensive Player of the Year has narrowed to one clear frontrunner with a few other still trying to remain in the hunt.
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The current favorite entering Week 17 is Myles Garrett and the contest is not very close with odds of -20000. He led the league in sacks going into Week 17 with 22, despite an overall poor season from the Browns.
Just behind him is the Texans’ Will Anderson Jr., who has 11.5 sacks, 45 tackles, and three forced fumbles. Bronco Nik Bonitto is also in the running with 12.5 sacks after recording 13.5 in 2024. Other in the race include Danielle Hunter, Jared Verse, Brian Burns, and Adrian Hutchison.
Before diving into the complete Defensive Player of the Year picture, here is how the top of the odds board looks heading into Week 17.
Week 17 NFL Defensive POTY Odds Report
| Player | Current Odds to Win NFL DPOTY | Odds to Win NFL DPOTY Entering Week 8 | Odds to Win NFL DPOTY Entering Week 6 | Odds to Win NFL DPOTY Entering Week 4 | Preseason Odds to Win NFL DPOTY |
| Micah Parsons (Packers) | NR | +165 | +360 | +340 | +850 |
| Aidan Hutchinson (Lions) | +40000 | +380 | +320 | +600 | +850 |
| Nik Bonitto (Broncos) | +7500 | +550 | +450 | +1500 | +9000 |
| Myles Garrett (Browns) | -20000 | +650 | +500 | +360 | +750 |
| Will Anderson Jr. (Texans) | +7500 | +900 | +1800 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Jared Verse (Rams) | +15000 | +1800 | +2700 | +1900 | +2500 |
| T.J. Watt (Steelers) | NR | +2700 | +2500 | +2500 | +750 |
| Brian Burns (Giants) | +15000 | +3000 | +4000 | +6000 | +7500 |
The Favorites
Myles Garrett (-20000) – DE – Cleveland Browns
Myles Garrett is now a huge favorite to capture another Defensive Player of the Year award. Garrett has looked unstoppable through much of the season, racking up 22 sacks and reminding everyone why he is one of the most feared defenders in football.
Garrett’s combination of size, speed, and raw power makes him a nightmare for any offensive tackle, and he consistently draws double teams and chips that free up opportunities for his teammates.
That sort of attention often prevents him from filling up the stat sheet, but it also speaks to the level of respect he commands from opponents on a weekly basis. Garrett offers a balance of proven and seems a shoo-in for the Defensive Player of the Year chase.
Best NFL DPOTY Betting Odds: DraftKings Sportsbook (-20000)
Will Anderson Jr. (+7500) – EDGE – Houston Texans
The Texans’ defense is elite and the man leading the charge is former Alabama product Will Anderson Jr.
Anderson has seen his sack total lower than some other major contenders on this list, but the impact he has on one of the better defensive units in football cannot go unnoticed.
Given how Houston started the season, however, it will take a truly incredible performance by Anderson and the Texans defense as a whole down the stretch to make him a more serious candidate for the honors.
Best NFL DPOTY Betting Odds:BetMGM Sportsbook (+7500)
Nik Bonitto (+7500) – EDGE – Denver Broncos
In what has become one of the wildest storylines in the NFL futures market this season, Broncos pass-rush specialist Nik Bonitto has gone from an afterthought to a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate. Bonitto entered 2025 priced as a +9000 longshot to win the award and went on to rack up eight sacks in the first seven games.
As a result, his odds have skyrocketed all the way to +550 at one point but now sit +7500. Bonitto has been a constant presence in opposing backfields, flashing the same speed and bend around the edge that reminded many of former Broncos great Elvis Dumervil. At only 24 years old, he looks every bit the part of Denver’s next defensive star.
Best NFL DPOTY Betting Odds: FanDuel Sportsbook (+7500)
How is the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award Decided?
Each season, the Associated Press, known by many as the AP, gives out the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award to the defensive player they believe has performed the best throughout the course of the regular season.
A panel of 50 sportswriters and media members rank their top five choices for the award at the end of each NFL season, with the winner being the player who receives the most votes as determined by where they are slotted in each respective writer or media member’s top five.
In other words, the more first place votes a player receives, the higher the likelihood they will be named NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
The NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is a special recognition for all those hard-working athletes on the side of the football that don’t get quite as much love as those guys who play offense. It would take a monumental season for a defensive player to win the NFL MVP award, so this is the closest thing to that honor on the defensive side of the football.
As we mentioned above, unlike the MVP and OPOY awards which basically go to any three positions (QB, RB, WR) on offense each season, the DPOY award is much more wide open.
Dating back to the 2000 season, here’s a position by position breakdown showing who has brought home this award over the last 25 seasons of NFL action.
| Position | DPOY Awards Won Since 2000 |
| Defensive End / EDGE | 9 |
| Defensive Tackle | 6 |
| Linebacker | 5 |
| Defensive Back | 5 |
As you can see, relentless pass rushers, tackle machines at linebacker, and lockdown corners are all in the mix to win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Recent NFL Defensive Player of the Year Winners
| Season | Player | Position | Team |
| 2024 | Patrick Surtain II | CB | Denver Broncos |
| 2023 | Myles Garrett | DE | Cleveland Browns |
| 2022 | Nick Bosa | DE | San Francisco 49ers |
| 2021 | T.J. Watt | LB | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2020 | Aaron Donald | DT | Los Angeles Rams |
| 2019 | Stephon Gilmore | CB | New England Patriots |
| 2018 | Aaron Donald | DT | Los Angeles Rams |
| 2017 | Aaron Donald | DT | Los Angeles Rams |
| 2016 | Khalil Mack | DE | Oakland Raiders |
| 2015 | J.J. Watt | DE | Houston Texans |
How To Bet On The NFL Defensive Player Of The Year
To bet on the DPOY award, you must:
- Log into your sportsbook.
- Look for the NFL betting odds tab.
- Click on the ‘Players Futures’ category.
- Select the DPOY award to display the odds.
- Choose the player you want to wager on.
- Submit it from the bet slip window on the right-hand side of the screen.
Editor’s Note: All odds were correct at the time of writing. All odds, unless otherwise stated, are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
