NFL Defensive Player of the Year Predictions & Odds 2024: Preseason Rankings

• Myles Garrett won Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2023.

• Micah Parsons opened as the betting favorite for 2024 Defensive Player of the Year.

• Three different players have taken home DPOTY honors three times.

Every year, the top defensive player in the NFL during the season is recognized with the Defensive Player of the Year Award. It doesn’t matter if they’re linemen in the trenches, linebackers covering the field, or defensive backs playing in the secondary, all defensive players are eligible and capable of winning the honor. Since defensive players almost never win MVP, this is the pre-eminent award for NFL defensive players. 

Myles Garrett won a competitive three-player race for Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2023. T.J. Watt was a close second after receiving 11 first-place votes compared to Garrett’s 23 first-place votes. Micah Parsons was third in the voting, receiving seven first-place votes. Maxx Crosby and DaRon Bland rounded out the top five.

Now that the 2024 season is upon us, we’ll keep track of the betting odds and the top contenders for DPOTY. Familiar names like Micah Parsons and Myles Garrett are among the leading favorites right now. But once the games begin, anything can happen. With Defensive Player of the Year, there are at least a handful of players who are serious candidates, not to mention some interesting sleeper picks. 

We will spend the season tracking the NFL’s best defensive players to see who is trending in the right direction and who is the best option to win DPOTY from a betting perspective. Let’s take a look at where the top defensive players in the NFL stand right now with regard to their chances of winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2024.

AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Odds

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NFL Defensive Player of the Year Predictions

We’ve seen in past years that the competition for Defensive Player of the Year is intense with several worthy candidates. That’s why we wanted to take a closer look at the top candidates and where they currently stand.

Micah Parsons - Linebacker, Cowboys (+550 at FanDuel)

It’s no surprise that Parsons opens as the favorite for Defensive Player of the Year. He burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2021 and has been a serious contender for DPOTY in all three of his seasons in the league. Parsons set a new career-high for sacks in 2023 with 14. Given how good he’s been, it’s hard to believe that he hasn't won the award yet. If he puts together another season in 2024 that replicates the past few years, voters may give him the award in recognition of how long he’s dominated the league.

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Myles Garrett - Defensive End, Browns (+700 at FanDuel)

Winning Defensive Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons will be a huge challenge for Garrett. It’s a little surprising to see him this high in the pecking order given the great contenders around him. Nevertheless, there are a lot of bettors backing Garrett heading into the season because he’s clearly capable of amassing 15 to 20 sacks. However, standing out head and shoulders above Parsons, Watt, Bosa, and others for a second straight year will be a stiff challenge for Garrett despite the fact that he remains one of the NFL’s elite pass rushers.

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T.J. Watt - Linebacker, Steelers (+850 at FanDuel)

Watt is another previous recipient of Defensive Player of the Year, although he still needs to win it twice more to match his brother. Earning his second DPOTY award in 2024 isn’t out of the question. After all, he led the NFL with 19 sacks last season and was the runner-up behind Myles Garrett for Defensive Player of the Year. While Watt is a little older than some of the other elite pass-rushers, he’s led the NFL in both sacks and QB hits three times in the last four years. Based on last season, Watt is still in his prime and should be considered a threat to win Defensive Player of the Year.

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Maxx Crosby - Defensive End, Raiders (+850 at FanDuel) 

Crosby is an interesting dark horse for this award. He wasn’t a first-round pick like all of the other candidates we’ve mentioned. Crosby has had to do things the hard way, building up his reputation over several years after being a fourth-round pick in 2019. To some extent, that still works against him, as does the fact that he plays for the Raiders, who weren’t strong defensively last season. With 14.5 sacks in 2023, Crosby was among the league leaders. However, he might have to lead the NFL in sacks and get help from his teammates if he’s going to win Defensive Player of the Year in 2024.

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Nick Bosa - Defensive Line, 49ers (+1000 at FanDuel)

It’s no secret that 2023 just wasn’t Bosa’s year. He held out during training camp until signing the massive contract that he deserves. But that caused him to get off to a slow start. Bosa started to come on strong late in the season, finishing with 10.5 sacks and adding two more in the playoffs. However, that type of production isn’t going to get a player close to Defensive Player of the Year. That being said, it’s not hard to envision Bosa getting back to the level he reached in 2022 when he won DPOTY after leading the league with 18.5 sacks. He’s still just 26 and among the NFL’s elite pass-rushers.

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Aidan Hutchinson - Defensive End, Lions (+1400 at FanDuel)

Two years into his career, Hutchinson has shown some obvious progression. He went from 9.5 sacks as a rookie to 11.5 sacks this past season. Despite earning a Pro Bowl invitation last season, he’s still not quite on the same level as players like Parsons, Bosa, Watt, and Garrett. But the potential is certainly there. Plus, Hutchinson plays for an up-and-coming team in Detroit. Those factors make him someone to watch as a dark horse for DPOTY.

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Chris Jones - Defensive Tackle, Chiefs (+2500 at FanDuel)

There is no doubt that Jones is the premier defensive tackle in the NFL right now. His challenge is outshining a handful of elite edge rushers. Even with 10.5 sacks last year and 15.5 sacks the previous year, Jones didn’t put up the numbers to win DPOTY. He’ll continue to fight that uphill battle this year. The good news for Jones is that he got a contract during the offseason that makes him the highest-paid defensive tackle in league history. But whether that will lead to some complacency remains to be seen and could also hinder his chances of being Defensive Player of the Year in 2024.

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Kyle Hamilton - Safety, Ravens (+3000 at FanDuel)

Hamilton’s presence among the top-10 candidates for Defensive Player of the Year heading into the 2024 season is something of a surprise. Typically, safeties have a hard time winning awards, so this would be a massive upset. However, Hamilton isn’t your typical safety, something he proved during his breakout season in 2023. He does a little bit of everything on the field, amassing 13 defended passes, 10 tackles for loss, four interceptions, and three sacks last season. His impact is felt all over the field, making him one of the most versatile and impactful defensive players in the league. If Hamilton can match or exceed what he did last season, he’ll be an interesting sleeper for Defensive Player of the Year in 2024.

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Will Anderson Jr. - Defensive End, Texans (+3000)

After being a Pro Bowler and Defensive Rookie of the Year last season, big things are expected of Anderson in 2024. With the Texans adding Danielle Hunter to the other side of the defensive line, teams won’t be able to focus entirely on Anderson. Obviously, merely replicating the seven sacks he had last year won’t move the needle much in the DPOTY conversation. However, Anderson’s impact on games far exceeded his stats. That’s why he’s been an intriguing sleeper pick for Defensive Player of the Year throughout the offseason. If he sees a big leap up in his productivity, especially if Houston has another strong season, Anderson could quickly get on par with the top 3-5 contenders for Defensive Player of the Year.

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Danielle Hunter - Defensive End, Texans (+3200 at FanDuel)

Hunter was a hot commodity on the free-agent market this year, getting a two-year, $49 million deal from the Texans. Being a part of the Houston defense under DeMeco Ryans has helped him become a second-tier candidate for Defensive Player of the Year. Keep in mind that Hunter was under the radar a little last year despite collecting 16.5 sacks. If he can build off of that career high for a Houston team that has a chance to be a serious contender in the AFC, Hunter could break into the top tier of DPOTY contenders.

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Who Will Win Defensive Player of the Year?

My Pick - Nick Bosa (+1000) at FanDuel

It’s hard to go wrong with any of the five leading candidates for Defensive Player of the Year. Garrett is the reigning champ, Watt’s propensity for leading the league in sacks makes him a threat, and it’d be a shame if Parsons didn’t win the award at some point. However, if all things being equal, Bosa might be the best pass-rusher and defensive force in the NFL right now. He should be in his prime right now and more than capable of replicating his 2022 season. If that happens, Bosa will be tough to beat for Defensive Player of the Year despite the competition, which is why he’s our preseason pick for the award.

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Who Won AP Defensive Player of the Year in 2023?

Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns won Defensive Player of the Year in 2023. He finished the season with 14 sacks and four forced fumbles while helping the Browns reach the playoffs despite starting four different quarterbacks during the season.

AP Defensive Player of the Year Award History

The AP Defensive Player of the Year History was introduced in 1971 and has been handed out at the end of every NFL season since. It is voted upon by a panel of 50 sportswriters and is presented by the Associated Press.

Previous AP Defensive Player of the Year Winners

How to Choose the Best Sportsbook for Betting on Defensive Player of the Year

Before you place a wager on NFL Defensive Player of the Year, make sure you’re placing that bet at the right sportsbook. Sportsbooks often have different odds, different features, and different promos. This requires a little bit of research before finding the best sportsbook that’s right for you.

More info on the best NFL betting sites can be found in our detailed analysis.

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How to Read Defensive Player of the Year Odds

Barring a heavy favorite, every candidate for Defensive Player of the Year will be assigned plus (+) odds. This means that the profit will be greater than the wager if that player wins. For example, if you get $100 on a player with +450 odds, you will profit $450. Of course, if one player is the clear favorite late in the season, he may have negative (-) odds. For instance, if a player has -200 odds, you will need to wager $200 in order to make a $100 profit.