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NFL Defensive Player of the Year Odds 2026: Myles Garrett is Favored

Written By John Carlo Villaruel | Fact Checked by: Carson Mundy | Last Updated at September 8, 2026

The DPOY prize is granted to the best defensive NFL player every season, and there’s no better way to prepare for betting on it than to review the current NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds.

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 Myles Garrett (+400) as a favorite. Will Anderson Jr (+650), Aidan Hutchinson (+800), Nik Bonitto (+1800), Maxx Crosby (+2000), and Brian Burns (+2500) follow.

On this page, you can also find previous DPOY winners, guides on betting and reading odds, and much more to bring your betting experience to a higher level.

2026 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Odds

Seeing a long 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.

PlayerNFL Defensive Player of the Year Odds (via bet365)
Myles Garrett+400
Will Anderson Jr+650
Aidan Hutchinson+800
Nik Bonitto+1800
Maxx Crosby+2000
Brian Burns+2500
T.J. Watt+2500
Danielle Hunter+2500
Jalen Carter+2500
Jared Verse+2800
Trey Hendrickson+2800
Nick Bosa+2800
Abdul Carter+3500
Fred Warner+4000
Quinyon Mitchell+4500
Derek Stingley Jr+4500
Kyle Hamilton+5000
Christian Gonzalez+5000
Laiatu Latu+5500
Josh Hines-Allen+5500
Nick Emmanwori+5500
Cooper DeJean+5500
Patrick Surtain II+6000
Micah Parsons+6500

*Odds as of Sept. 2, 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 5 candidates.

From 1 to 5, you can see the names and why we think each player deserves their spot.

Myles Garrett (+400)

Garrett enters a new chapter after a legendary 2025 season, with as many as 23 sacks and 43 solo tackles. He’s arguably one of the best players in football, and now that he’s joining the Rams, a Super Bowl contender, he’s prone to shining even more. Just think of this as a dream come true for a pass-rusher.

Will Anderson (+650)

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.

Aidan Hutchinson (+800)

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.

Nik Bonitto (+1800)

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.

Patrick Surtain II (+6000)

Surtain II is no ordinary longshot. The Broncos cornerback won DPOY in 2024, making his +6000 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.

NFL Defensive Player of the Year Sleeper Picks

When making your NFL Defensive Player of the Year picks, it’s also important to check long odds, i.e., 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 3 sleeper picks.

Nick Bosa (+2800)

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. In 2022, Bosa was a first-team All-Pro, underscoring his ability to perform at an elite level.

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.

Micah Parsons (+6500)

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 if we had to go with one player who just sticks out, that would certainly be Myles Garrett. We made our choice by first looking at the current NFL odds, which are 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.

PlayerYearOpening Odds
Myles Garrett2025+850 to +900
Patrick Surtain II2024+15500
Myles Garrett2023+750
Nick Bosa2022+900 to +1000
T. J. Watt2021+700 to+800
Aaron Donald2020+500
Stephon Gilmore2019N/A
Aaron Donald2018+600
Aaron Donald2017+500
Khalil Mack2016+700 to +850
J.J. Watt2015+300 to +400
J.J. Watt2014+400 to +500
Luke Kuechly2013N/A
J.J. Watt2012+2000
Terrel Suggs2011N/A
Troy Polamalu2010N/A
Charles Woodson2009N/A
James Harrison2008N/A
Bob Sanders2007N/A
Jason Taylor2006N/A
Brian Urlacher2005+1200
Ed Reed2004+1500
Ray Lewis2003N/A
Derrick Brooks2002+1500
Michael Strahan2001+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. 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 Garrett, 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 +6000. So, should you bet $100 on him, your potential profit will be $6,000, and your total winnings will be $6,100 (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.

Let’s not forget about NFL betting apps, which provide a great on-the-go experience. Needless to say, both betting sites and apps that you can find on this website have hefty NFL betting promos that add extra value to your bets.

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NFL Defensive Player of the Year Odds FAQ

🔍 Who is favored to win the Defensive Player of the Year?
Myles Garrett is favored to win the Defensive Player of the Year. He won this award last year, is in amazing form, and plays for a team that’s one of the top contenders to win the Super Bowl (the Los Angeles Rams).
🔄 Can you bet on NFL Defensive Player of the Year?
Yes, you can bet on NFL Defensive Player of the Year. To do so, make sure to find a legal sportsbook that’s available in your region. Another prerequisite is that you are of legal age in the region you're betting.
🌟 Who are the top 5 Defensive Player of the Year candidates in the NFL?
The top 5 Defensive Player of the Year candidates in the NFL are Myles Garrett, Will Anderson Jr, Aidan Hutchinson, Nik Bonitto, and Maxx Crosby. They are the 5 players with the shortest odds and the most praise, based on their past and recent performances.
🎰 Where can I bet on NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds?
You can bet on NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds at bet365, FanDuel, BetMGM, DraftKings, BetRivers, Borgata, Fanatics, and many other platforms. Yet before signing up with any of these or other brands, be sure to check availability in your state.
🔍 Who is the best defensive player in the NFL in 2026?
Based on previous seasons, the best defensive player in the NFL in 2026 is Myles Garrett. He won DPOY in 2025, broke the sacks record last year, and is very talented and motivated to play football at an extremely high level.