2026 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Odds, Analysis & Favorites

NFL

• Myles Garrett opens as the betting favorite at +450 to retain his title after a historic 2025 season.
• Green Bay’s Micah Parsons (+600) and Houston’s Will Anderson Jr. (+750) hold high chances as well.
• The top of the betting market features game-disrupting edge rushers.

Award Context

• Defending Winner: Myles Garrett (Los Angeles Rams)
• Key Historical Trend: Edge rushers have dominated this honor, with winners over the past decade consistently recording at least 14.0 sacks and leading the league in pass-rush win rate.

2026 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Opening Odds

Myles Garrett (+450)

Following a historic campaign where he broke the NFL single-season record with 23.0 sacks and led the league with 33 tackles for loss, Myles Garrett enters as the clear favorite to defend his crown. Now anchoring the Los Angeles Rams’ pass rush, Garrett combines elite reflexes with unmatched power. His proven ability to command double teams and wreck games single-handedly gives him the highest floor on the NFL DPOY odds board.

Micah Parsons (+600)

Micah Parsons possesses rare athleticism that allows him to impact games as a pure pass rusher, run stopper, and coverage defender. That was before his season-ending injury last year. The oddsmaker believes that the phenomenon recovered well from a torn ACL. Operating as the centerpiece of an aggressive Packers front seven, Parsons’ disruptive pass-rush win rate makes him a top-tier contender to claim his first career DPOY award.

Will Anderson Jr. (+750)

Houston’s Will Anderson Jr. steps into his fourth season coming off an exceptional runner-up finish in last year’s voting. Anderson’s continuous jump in pressure rate and run-defense metrics makes his opening odds highly attractive. Besides that, he leads arguably one of the toughest defenses in the NFL, the Texans’ defensive unit, and as such has incredible chances to get the award.

Maxx Crosby (+900)

Meanwhile, Las Vegas edge rusher Maxx Crosby remains one of the league’s most relentless forces. Known for his high snap count and high motor, Crosby consistently logs high-volume tackles and sack totals. If the Raiders’ defense makes a leap, Crosby’s game-breaking turnover creation offers strong value for longshot bettors. He could be traded to some other team until the season starts, and if the destination is right, that can only boost his NFL DPOY odds.

NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award (DPOY)

The NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award (DPOY) is the ultimate individual defensive honor in professional football, awarded annually by the Associated Press (AP) to the league’s most dominant defender.

Presented officially at the annual NFL Honors ceremony, the award celebrates elite pass rushers, lockdown cornerbacks, and middle linebackers who systematically disrupt opposing offenses.

🏆 Eligibility and Voting Criteria

The AP NFL DPOY is determined under strict balloting guidelines ahead of the postseason:

• Regular Season Focus: Voting takes place immediately following Week 18. Postseason performances carry zero weight in determining the recipient.
• Voting Panel: Decided by a nationwide media panel of 50 sports writers, broadcasters, and football experts.
• Ranked-Choice System: Voters fill out a ranked-choice ballot (1st through 5th place), utilizing a weighted point scale (10-5-3-2-1) to select the winner.

🏈 Historical Milestones & Record Holders

• Most Wins (3): Lawrence Taylor, J.J. Watt, and Aaron Donald share the all-time record with 3 DPOY awards each.
• Single-Season Sack Record: Myles Garrett broke the all-time record in 2025 with 23.0 sacks.
• Inaugural AP Winner: Alan Page (1971, Minnesota Vikings).
• Unanimous Winners: J.J. Watt (2014) and Myles Garrett (2025) are the only unanimous Defensive Player of the Year winners in NFL history.

NFL DPOY Winners