NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award Odds 2026: Garrett Injured, Hutchinson and Anderson Jr. Take Over
Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here. The NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds are stacked with pass rushers, including Aidan Hutchinson and Will Anderson Jr., who have emerged as frontrunners following the injury news surrounding Myles Garrett.…
Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.The NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds are stacked with pass rushers, including Aidan Hutchinson and Will Anderson Jr., who have emerged as frontrunners following the injury news surrounding Myles Garrett. Garrett was looking to win his second straight and third overall Defensive Player of the Year award in 2026-27, but his NFL odds have gone into a complete tailspin after landing on IR. Key Takeaways: Garrett to undergo minor knee surgery Hutchinson doing the heavy lifting for Detroit Anderson Jr. headlines elite Texans unit NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds Player Name Probability Aidan Hutchinson 18% Will Anderson Jr. 16% T.J. Watt 11% Dallas Turner 9% Kyle Hamilton 7% Maxx Crosby 5% Abdul Carter 5% Fred Warner 4% Trey Hendrickson 4% Greg Rousseau 3% Odds as of 9-22. Percentages courtesy of Kalshi.Kalshi is a regulated financial exchange where you trade on real-world event outcomes. Instead of traditional odds, prices are listed as percentages (0-100%), representing the market’s estimated probability of an event occurring. Start trading with Kalshi today! Sign up now using our exclusive Kalshi promo code 'COVERS60' and trade $25 on any event contracts — including NFL futures to get $35! Sign Up Now at *Eligible U.S. locations only NFL Defensive Player of the Year favorites Myles Garrett was essentially booted from the race after a quiet Week 1 performance before ultimately landing on IR to undergo minor knee surgery. The Los Angeles Rams superstar is now expected to be sidelined for at least the next four games. With Aidan Hutchinson already sporting three sacks for the Detroit Lions, Will Anderson Jr. is another name to watch after finishing second to Garrett in last year’s DPOY voting. The Houston Texans edge rusher led the league in QB hurries and recorded three forced fumbles in 2025, anchoring one of the NFL's top defenses. NFL Defensive Player of the Year futures predictions Not among the frontrunners is New York Giants outside linebacker Brian Burns, but he should be after recording 16.5 sacks last season, second only to Garrett. Burns also finished Top 5 among all edge rushers in pass-rush win rate on third down last season. With New York expected to contend for a playoff spot following its coaching staff overhaul, his odds could shorten quickly if the Giants start stacking wins early. Along with backing Garrett, I wouldn't mind taking a shot on Burns before Week 1. Pick Odds Pick date Units Myles Garrett 20% Aug. 1 2.5 Brian Burns 2% Aug. 1 0.5 Popular NFL futures markets NFL MVP odds NFL OPOY odds NFL ROY odds NFL Defensive Player of the Year betting trends • Since this award was first given out in 1974, eight defensive players have claimed this award more than once. However, no defensive back has ever won it multiple times. • While voters for the NFL MVP Award seem to take team success into the equation, the same hasn't necessarily been true for DPOY accolades. Five of the last 10 winners of the DPOY award were on defenses that ranked outside the Top 10. NFL Defensive Player of the Year history Here's a look at the recent award history (preseason favorite and winner odds courtesy of Sports Odds History): Year NFL DPOY Award Winner Position 2025 Myles Garrett DE 2024 Patrick Surtain II CB 2023 Myles Garrett DE 2022 Nick Bosa DE 2021 T.J. Watt Edge 2020 Aaron Donald DT 2019 Stephon Gilmore CB 2018 Aaron Donald DT 2017 Aaron Donald DT 2016 Khalil Mack Edge 2015 J.J. Watt DE 2014 J.J. Watt DE 2013 Luke Kuechly LB 2012 J.J. Watt DE 2011 Terrell Suggs Edge 2010 Troy Polamalu S 2009 Charles Woodson DB 2008 James Harrison Edge 2007 Bob Sanders S 2006 Jason Taylor Edge 2005 Brian Urlacher LB 2004 Ed Reed S 2003 Ray Lewis LB 2002 Derrick Brooks LB 2001 Michael Strahan DE 2000 Ray Lewis LB NFL Defensive Player of the Year winners by position Position Number of DPOY awards Linebacker 17 Defensive end 14 Defensive tackle 10 Cornerback 7 Safety 5 Linebackers have historically dominated this honor, and only two defensive backs have taken home the award in the last 10 seasons.This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.