The Defensive Player of the Year odds are quite tight heading into the NFL season. Last season, Denver Broncos’ Patrick Surtain II defied the odds to become just the second cornerback since 2009 to take home the hardware. Since 2011, edge rushers have won all but two of the awards. Will that trend continue into 2025? Let’s dive in.
The Favorites
The Green Bay Packers shocked the NFL world on Thursday when they announced that they had agreed to a trade with the Dallas Cowboys to land superstar pass-rusher Micah Parsons. As a result, Parsons is now the favorite among the Defensive Player of the Year odds at +600. Parsons is among the league’s top talent at the position and should wreak havoc in the NFC North this season.
Also in the NFC North is Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson at +750. Hutchinson was off to a brilliant start last season, tallying 7.5 sacks in just five games before fracturing his tibia and fibula. Now, he returns to a Lions team that has their eye on a deep playoff run, building off last season’s success. If Hutchinson can get back on that track or anywhere close to it, his name will almost surely be in the discussion for this award all season long.
Myles Garrett is close behind Hutchinson at +850. Garrett won the award in 2023. However, you could argue that his production last season exceeded that of his Defensive Player of the Year campaign after leading the league with 22 tackles for loss. Garrett is undoubtedly going to be a contender for the award, and the price tag isn’t too bad either.
Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt is another familiar name on this list. He won the award back in the 2021 season when he led the league with 22.5 sacks. He’s also finished second in the voting for the award twice, as well as a third-place finish in 2019 and a fourth-place finish last season. The AFC North, as always, will be pretty competitive, and the Steelers will need Watt to keep up this level of production if they’re going to have a chance at a playoff run. At +950, you could do worse than Watt.
Best of the Rest
Houston Texans edge rusher Will Anderson continues to impress. He took home Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2023 after finishing with seven sacks. Last season, he built on his strong rookie performance to the tune of 11 sacks. The AFC South looks to be a tight division this season, and the Texans will hope Anderson can take yet another step forward to becoming one of the league’s most feared players on the edge. If Anderson does take a third-year leap, his +1600 odds on FanDuel could prove fruitful.
With those same odds enters Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby. He played in 12 games and tallied 7.5 sacks before he suffered a season-ending ankle injury that required surgery. The Raiders will have a new look this season with Pete Carroll at the helm. Crosby, as the star of a Carroll-led defense, could get him the numbers to be in the running for the award.
Others to consider include second-year pass-rusher Jared Verse with the Los Angeles Rams. His athletic tools have him primed for a breakout season at +1500. Cincinnati Bengals pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson could post the raw numbers to be in contention at +3300, but the defensive unit as a whole is a mess. It would be challenging to give the Defensive Player of the Year award to a player on a defense that could be in the bottom five this season.
Want more? Check out our analysis of the Offensive Player of the Year race.