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.

For the 2024 NFL season, Micah Parsons opened as the betting favorite. However, past winners Nick Bosa, T.J. Watt, and Myles Garrett should all be considered serious contenders to win against in 2024. Likewise, players like Maxx Crosby, Aidan Hutchinson, and others warrant consideration as well.

During the 2024 season, we’ll keep track of the betting odds and the top contenders for DPOTY. Even though the season hasn’t started yet, there are betting odds available. 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)

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.

Nick Bosa - Defensive Line, 49ers (+650)

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 deserved. 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.

T.J. Watt - Linebacker, Steelers (+700) at DraftKings

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.

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

Garrett is aiming to do what only J.J. Watt has accomplished, which is winning DPOTY in back-to-back seasons. Ironically, his sack total in 2023 was lower than it was the previous two seasons. Nevertheless, Garrett was no less dominant for a Cleveland defense that carried the Browns to the playoffs. There’s no doubt that Garrett is capable of being an impactful player again in 2024 and amassing between 15 and 20 sacks. However, he’ll have to find a way to stand out from the pack for a second straight season because there is likely to be even more competition for the award than there was last season.

Maxx Crosby - Defensive End, Raiders (+700) at DraftKings

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.

Aidan Hutchinson - Defensive End, Lions (+1200) at DraftKings

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.

Josh Allen - Defensive End, Jaguars (+1700) at DraftKings

We’d be remiss not to mention Allen among the top Defensive Player of the Year candidates for 2024. He finally lived up to his potential with 17.5 sacks last season. Needless to say, Allen picked a good time to hit the free-agent market after that kind of season. Of course, the question is whether he can do that in back-to-back seasons. It’s also not a guarantee that he’ll be back in Jacksonville next season. Those are questions to consider before backing Allen as a lucrative longshot to win DPOTY in 2024.

Who Will Win Defensive Player of the Year?

My Pick - Nick Bosa (+650) at DraftKings

It’s hard to go wrong with any of the four 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 sportsbook that’s right for you.

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.