NFL Defensive Player of the Year Odds 2026: Lions' Hutchinson is Favored
The DPOY prize is granted to the best defensive NFL player every season, and you can bet on the current NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds all season long.
The NFL is the most prestigious football competition, and, in collaboration with the Associated Press (AP) board, it crowns the best defensive player based on journalists' votes.
Sportsbooks allow you to make your own NFL Defensive Player of the Year predictions. For example, bet365 lists Aidan Hutchinson (+400) as the favorite to win DPOY. Will Anderson Jr. (+430), T.J. Watt (+1100), Nick Bonitto (+1900), and Maxx Crosby (+1900) round out the top five.
Here, you will find previous DPOY winners, learn how to bet on and read Defensive Player of the Year odds, and discover much more to bring your betting experience to a higher level.
2026 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Odds
Reviewing the list of the 2026 NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds gives you a nice overview of where the best candidates stand. Right now, bet365 offers the most competitive odds for this market, and you can find them in the table below.
| Player | NFL Defensive Player of the Year Odds (via bet365) |
|---|---|
| Aidan Hutchinson, Lions | +400 |
| Will Anderson Jr., Texans | +430 |
| T.J. Watt, Steelers | +1100 |
| Nik Bonitto, Broncos | +1900 |
| Maxx Crosby, Raiders | +1900 |
| Danielle Hunter, Texans | +2200 |
| Trey Hendrickson, Ravens | +2200 |
| Nick Bosa, 49ers | +2200 |
| Abdul Carter, Giants | +2700 |
| Fred Warner, 49ers | +3000 |
*Odds as of Sept. 18, 2026.
Notably, odds are subject to change. The odds displayed above reflect the current lines and may differ from those on other sports betting sites or even change at bet365 over time. Always check NFL Defensive Player of the Year betting odds before wagering.
NFL Defensive Player of the Year Betting Favorites
Taking the current NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds into consideration, as well as other factors (news, form, past DPOY wins), we made our own list of the top DPOY candidates.
You can see the names and why we think each player deserves their spot.
Aidan Hutchinson (+400)
Hutchinson has stunning physical strength and health. He is one of the few players who suffered a terrible injury and then came back to do absolutely brilliant work (last season). Aidan earned 14.5 sacks, 35 QB (personal high), and 49 pressures in 17 games.
He was also the most productive player in pass-rush statistics, suggesting he is a very strong DPOY contender.
Will Anderson (+430)
Another superstar edge rusher, Anderson recorded 12 sacks last season. If we add two more seasons, we’ll see stats that speak for themselves: 30 sacks, 46 TLs, and 64 QB hits. At 24, we should expect his prime to be coming, and it may start as early as 2026-27.
Nick Bosa (+2200)
Bosa suffered an injury last season and only played three games, which is why he is low on the standard DPOY contender list. Still, he’s a pass rusher, a position that wins this prize most often, and he has great overall stats, including 13 sacks and 34 quarterback hits last season. In 2022, Bosa was a first-team All-Pro, underscoring his ability to perform at an elite level.
Nik Bonitto (+1900)
We can’t help but point out Bonitto’s last two seasons, where he made miracles with 27.5 sacks, 52 QB hits, and 75 pressures. In both the 2025-26 and 2024-25 seasons, he was a candidate for DPOY. However, his inconsistency kept him from this award. Now, if he manages to play with consistency, he’ll be a serious threat to other players for DPOY.
NFL Defensive Player of the Year Sleeper Picks
When making your NFL Defensive Player of the Year picks, it’s also important to check longer odds for players who aren’t at the very top of the DPOY contender list. This is because some players may not currently be in the best form but can still surprise with their performance.
That said, here are our top sleeper picks.
Quinyon Mitchell (+4500)
Mitchell is an outstanding player, but his ranking isn’t the highest because of his very low interception percentage. But if he improves, other factors, like being the second-most-voted player for the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2024 and a first-team All-Pro in 2025, point to his fair chances of grabbing the prize.
Myles Garrett (+4500)
Garrett entered a new chapter after a legendary 2025 season, with 23 sacks and 43 solo tackles. However, he was placed on the injured reserve following arthroscopic knee surgery for an issue that lingered into the Rams' Week 1 loss to the 49ers in Melbourne, Australia.
He’s arguably one of the best players in football, and now that he’s joined the Rams, a Super Bowl contender, he appeared prone to shine even more. Just think of this as a dream come true for a pass-rusher.
Patrick Surtain II (+5000)
Surtain II is no ordinary longshot. The Broncos cornerback won DPOY in 2024, making his +5000 price especially eye-catching for a player who has already proved he can win the award. His speed, physicality, and football IQ combined make him so. Patrick’s unique way of playing forces other teams and coaches to pay special attention to him, as they often try to catch him off coverage and almost never target him downfield.
All this shows that Surtain II shouldn’t be ruled out of the DPOY race.
Micah Parsons (+8000)
Parsons is a very impactful player, as seen whenever he is absent from Green Bay’s team. It is exactly his roller-coaster availability that makes him a sleeper, but with a 2%+ sack rate and unmatched ability to enhance both run and pass defense, he has to be on this list.
NFL Defensive Player of the Year Prediction
The competition is heavy, but we favored Myles Garrett entering the season. We made our choice by first looking at the current NFL odds, which were short (both player props and DPOY odds).
Garrett's 23 sacks, 60 total tackles, three forced fumbles, and one pass defended last season also played a major role in our decision. His health, durability, elite pass-rushing production, and place on a potential Super Bowl contender make him our No. 1 DPOY contender.
NFL Defensive Player of the Year Winners History
Matching previous predictions and odds with what happened is an interesting way to see how successful football lovers, experts, and sportsbooks were in the past regarding DPOY.
To spare you from searching for this information on your own, we include the 25 players who have previously won this award and their opening NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds.
| Player | Year | Opening Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Myles Garrett | 2025 | +850 to +900 |
| Patrick Surtain II | 2024 | +15500 |
| Myles Garrett | 2023 | +750 |
| Nick Bosa | 2022 | +900 to +1000 |
| T. J. Watt | 2021 | +700 to+800 |
| Aaron Donald | 2020 | +500 |
| Stephon Gilmore | 2019 | N/A |
| Aaron Donald | 2018 | +600 |
| Aaron Donald | 2017 | +500 |
| Khalil Mack | 2016 | +700 to +850 |
| J.J. Watt | 2015 | +300 to +400 |
| J.J. Watt | 2014 | +400 to +500 |
| Luke Kuechly | 2013 | N/A |
| J.J. Watt | 2012 | +2000 |
| Terrel Suggs | 2011 | N/A |
| Troy Polamalu | 2010 | N/A |
| Charles Woodson | 2009 | N/A |
| James Harrison | 2008 | N/A |
| Bob Sanders | 2007 | N/A |
| Jason Taylor | 2006 | N/A |
| Brian Urlacher | 2005 | +1200 |
| Ed Reed | 2004 | +1500 |
| Ray Lewis | 2003 | N/A |
| Derrick Brooks | 2002 | +1500 |
| Michael Strahan | 2001 | +1000 |
How to Bet on NFL Defensive Player of the Year Odds in 2026
To bet on NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds in 2026, you need to claim a welcome offer, open an account, find this market, and create a bet slip.
None of these steps is hard to streamline, but you can’t miss any of them. So we break down each step below.
Claim the Welcome Bonus
Pick a licensed sportsbook and enter its platform. Either click the bonus banner on the main page or find the offer in the promo section. Once you’ve done this, the new registration window will pop up, directing you to the following step.
Create an Account
Fill in all required sign-up fields, including personal (full name, SSN, address) and account (email, mobile phone number, username, and password) information. Later, confirm the account opening process via email and SMS.
Fund Your Account
Tap the “dollar” symbol or the “Deposit” button on the homepage to enter the cashier. Next, select the deposit option and enter the top-up amount and payment details. Finally, confirm your transaction and refresh the page so the added funds appear in your balance.
Choose the Player to Bet On
Open the sports betting section and choose “NFL”. Then, select “Futures” and find the player you believe will win the prize. Just tap on the button with their name and odds, and it will appear on the bet slip.
Generate and Confirm the Slip
The bet slip menu typically pops up on the right after selecting your bet type, leading you to set your stake. This is easy, as all you have to do is type the amount in the stake field at the bottom of the slip. Lastly, we recommend double-checking the entire slip and confirming it once everything is correct.
How to Read Odds to Win NFL Defensive Player of the Year
To read the NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds, the key is to get acquainted with the American odds format and how they translate stakes into profit and payouts.
For instance, you can bet on Hutchinson, a favorite with short odds (+400). If you place a $100 wager on this player, you can win $400 plus your stake ($100), for $500 total.
In contrast, if you bet on long odds, you can pick a player who's not a DPOY favorite (e.g., Patrick Surtain II), whose long odds sit at +5000. So, should you bet $100 on him, your potential profit will be $5,000, and your total winnings will be $5,100 (with the stake back).
What’s great is that the same way of reading NFL Defensive Player of the Year 2026 odds is applicable to NFL MVP odds and Super Bowl odds.
Where to Bet on Defensive Player of the Year Odds
There’s a whole set of online sportsbooks where you can bet on the Defensive Player of the Year odds. What’s important is to find reliable platforms, that is, the Best NFL betting sites that are secure and easy to navigate.
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NFL Defensive Player of the Year Odds FAQ
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