NFL Defensive Player Of The Year Betting Odds

Being an NFL Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) is a sign of prestige.

As evidenced by every player who wins the award, there is a certain level of dominance that goes into your performance.

From defensive linemen to the players in the secondary, winning this award translates into money at contract signings, and wide recognition as one of the league’s best.

With plenty of talent across the defensive fields, every year the candidates vary, making this award one of the most unpredictable—as recent years have shown—and honor in the NFL.

How Is The Winner Decided?

Awarded in 1971, a panel of 50 sportswriters throughout the country voted to decide who is the DPOY.

2023 NFL Defensive Player Odds

For offensive player betting odds see our report here.

DPOY Betting Odds Report

When you get a look at the odds board, there are plenty of familiar and deserving names at the top.

That includes Myles Garrett, Aaron Donald, last year’s winner T.J. Watt, and Nick and Joey Bosa among others.

You’ll find past winners, likely future winners, and game wreckers all over the place. Let’s get a look at some of the favorites for 2022 DPOY in the NFL.

The Favorites

Myles Garrett – Garrett finished third in sacks in 2021, notching an eye-popping 16 on the season. He’s had at least 10 sacks in each of the past four seasons, and we should be able to pencil him in for double digits again in 2022.

The Browns know what they have in Garrett, a perennial DPOY candidate. Garrett gathers more spotlights every year, and it’s easy to see why he represents an enormous threat in every snap he plays. It’s amazing to think he’s never won this award, but it’s still unsurprising to see him as the favorite.

Aaron Donald – Donald is one of the most fearsome platers in the entire league, and owns tons of real estate along the line of scrimmage.

He’s won this award three times since 2017, including in 2020, and he lives at the top of the odds board for this honor every single season.

Donald still managed a top-10 sack total despite as many double and triple teams as anybody in the league, and the Rams’ offense will go as Donald goes in 2022.

TJ Watt – Many people thought Watt should’ve won this award in 2020 but a record-setting 22.5 sacks later, T.J. Watt did indeed win Defensive Player of the Year following a much-deserved campaign.

Watt was also tied in the NFL with the most tackles for loss in the league, and it doesn’t seem to matter how many bodies are put in front of him.

Watt’s impact goes beyond his numbers, as the entire defense is impacted by his presence. And since the Steelers’ offense is full of question marks, Watt and the defense play an enormous role in how this team functions on the field. He’s a favorite along with Garrett and Donald for a reason.

The Contenders

Nick Bosa – Bosa put together a season that would’ve won DPOY in plenty of years, totaling 15.5 sacks and a league-leading 21 tackles for loss. The fact that you can get +1500 odds on this guy, even with the stiff competition, feels like somewhat of a miracle.

The 49ers’ defense is the engine of its team and Bosa is the engine of the defensive front who will always be a threat to wreck the game. If healthy, Bosa can win DPOY.

Chase Young – A pillar for Washington winning the NFC East title in the season before last, Young won DROY before a disappointing campaign in 2021. However, we’ve seen that Young is an absolute game wrecker when he’s healthy, and that can put him in play for this award once again.

Young is likely starting the season on the PUP list but if he returns to full capacity and repeats a 2020 season, you could be getting some value.

Joey Bosa – The older Bosa brother has had injury concerns of his own but when he’s right, the Chargers’ defense takes on an entirely new face. This is certainly one of the best pass rushers in the league, evidenced by a 2021 season that saw him rack up 51 combined tackles and 10.5 sacks.

If it wasn’t for the other-worldly performances of players like T.J. Watt, Bosa certainly could’ve won the award. With another season to match his last one, there’s value in these odds.

Khalil Mack – The three-time first-team All Pro linebacker has a new home in the middle of the Los Angeles Chargers’ defense, and that could put Mack in prime position to capture some hardware. The truth is, the Chargers are a solid defense away from being a Super Bowl contender, and this is the kind of game changing player that can transform your defense, which badly needs help stopping the run.

Los Angeles is going to make tons of noise on the scoreboard but let’s not let Khalil Mack fly under the radar if we see that this team is much improved on the other end.

How To Bet On Defensive Player Of The Year

To bet on the DPOY award, you have to:

1. Go into your sportsbook and log in.

2. Look for the NFL bets tab.

3. Select ‘Players Futures.’

4. Choose the DPOY market.

5. Click on the player you want to place a bet on.

6. Submit it from the bet slip window on the right-hand side.