NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year 2024: Jalen Carter Leading But Far From a Sure Thing

Year after year, the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award is one of the most unpredictable in the NFL. Of course, the top defensive players selected in the draft have high expectations. But you never know who is going to stand out the most during the season. You don’t even know what position the top defensive rookie will play. Past winners of Defensive Rookie of the Year have come from all three levels of the defense.

With this award being so unpredictable, we wanted to help bettors to handicap it. That’s why we’ll be staying up to date all season on the top defensive performers and their odds to win Rookie of the Year. We’ll even give our updated pick for the most valuable bet, so keep checking back throughout the season.

NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds

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Jalen Carter, DT, Eagles (-200) at FanDuel

The Eagles have had quite the collapse late in the season, and so has Carter’s Defensive Rookie of the Year chances. After Week 16, he looked like a sure thing with -20000 odds. However, bettors are no longer looking at him as the top choice, causing his odds to drop to -200 after the end of the regular season. To be fair, Carter recorded a sack in Week 17, giving him six on the season. But the struggles of the entire Philadelphia defense late in the season have hurt Carter’s DROTY case. The Eagles gave up an average of 29 points per game over the final three weeks of the season.

Keep in mind that stretch included two games against the Giants and one against the Cardinals. Even if Carter can’t be blamed for those poor performances, he didn’t do anything to stop them from happening, and so he’s paying the price for his team falling apart.

Will Anderson Jr., DE, Texans (+300) at FanDuel

Despite missing two games in December with an injury, Anderson has made a great closing argument for why he should be Defensive Rookie of the Year. After sitting out Week 16, Anderson had +4000 odds to be DROTY. But after helping the Texans to wins in Weeks 17 and 18, Anderson is now sitting at +300. He recorded two sacks in the Week 17 win over the Titans and also made his presence felt against the Colts in Week 18 despite not adding to his sack total, which was seven at the end of the regular season.

Unlike Carter and the struggling Eagles, Anderson, and the Houston defense conceded just 22 total points over the last two weeks of the season. Not only did Anderson play well toward the end of the season but he played a role in helping Houston win the AFC South, which certainly can’t hurt his Defensive Rookie of the Year chances.

Kobie Turner, DT, Rams (+450) at FanDuel

Who is Kobie Turner? If you asked that question on Halloween, you probably wouldn’t have gotten an answer. But the world is a lot different now than it was then. In the eight games between Halloween and New Year’s Eve, Turner recorded eight sacks, giving him nine on the season.

The third-round pick out of Wake Forest came out of nowhere during the second half of the season. He wasn’t even on the Defensive Rookie of the Year radar until the last couple of weeks, but he now has +450 odds to win the award, making him a serious contender. Of course, he’s had the benefit of playing alongside Aaron Donald, who still gets a lot of attention from opposing offensive lines.

But Turner also deserves credit for being able to take advantage of his opportunities and becoming one of the most productive interior linemen in the NFL this season. While he doesn’t play for an elite defensive team, Turner’s sack total and the fact that he plays for a team that won seven of its last eight games will certainly work in his favor.

Our Pick for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year: Kobie Turner, +450 at FanDuel

Forget about the fact that nobody knew who Turner was until a few weeks ago. The momentum and attention he’s receiving for Defensive Rookie of the Year are real. With Carter fading and Anderson’s numbers being solid but unspectacular, Turner has a genuine chance to win DROTY honors and has excellent value at +450.

Even though Turner has only come on strong during the second half of the season, in many ways, that’s better than starting strong and fading. Equally important, Turner has more sacks than both Carter and Anderson while playing an interior position where it’s harder to get sacks. The numbers say he’s been a dominant force down the stretch for the red-hot Rams, and given the circumstances, that might be enough to give him Defensive Rookie of the Year honors this season.