Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett is the current favorite (-1500) to take home the NFL Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award. Garrett has tallied 20 sacks, 31 tackles for loss, and 32 quarterback hits this year. His sack and TFL totals pace the NFL.
Micah Parsons (+900) is the only other contender with odds better than +1000. Parsons has amassed 12.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and 26 quarterback hits in his first season with the Packers.
Below are the latest NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds.
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NFL Defensive Player Of The Year Odds For 2025-26
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Myles Garrett (CLE) | -1500 |
| Micah Parsons (GB) | +900 |
| Will Anderson Jr. (HOU) | +2500 |
| Nik Bonitto (DEN) | +2500 |
| Danielle Hunter (HOU) | +6000 |
| Jared Verse (LAR) | +10000 |
| Brian Burns (NYG) | +15000 |
| Maxx Crosby (LV) | +20000 |
| Byron Young (LAR) | +20000 |
| Leonard Williams (SEA) | +25000 |
Odds as of Dec. 10th, at FanDuel
NFL Betting Resources
Last 10 Defensive Player of the Year Winners
| Year | Player | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Pat Surtain II | Denver Broncos | CB |
| 2023 | Myles Garrett | Cleveland Browns | DE |
| 2022 | Nick Bosa | San Francisco 49ers | DE |
| 2021 | T.J. Watt | Pittsburgh Steelers | LB |
| 2020 | Aaron Donald | Los Angeles Rams | DT |
| 2019 | Stephon Gilmore | New England Patriots | CB |
| 2018 | Aaron Donald | Los Angeles Rams | DT |
| 2017 | Aaron Donald | Los Angeles Rams | DT |
| 2016 | Khalil Mack | Oakland Raiders* | DE |
| 2015 | J.J. Watt | Houston Texans | DT |
*now the Las Vegas Raiders.
Our previous 10 DPOY winners have a few familiar faces… Donald and the Watts make up 50% of this list! With the retirements of the older Watt and Donald in recent years, maybe T.J. can take up the mantle.
Who Has Won the Most NFL DPOY Awards?
| Player | Awards Won | Position | Team | Winning Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence Taylor | 3 | Linebacker | New York Giants | 1981 - 1982, 1986 |
| J.J. Watt | 3 | Defensive End | Houston Texans | 2012, 2014 - 2015 |
| Aaron Donald | 3 | Defensive Tackle | Los Angeles Rams | 2017 - 2018, 2020 |
| Joe Greene | 2 | Defensive Tackle | Pittsburgh Steelers | 1972, 1974 |
| Mike Singletary | 2 | Linebacker | Chicago Bears | 1985, 1988 |
| Bruce Smith | 2 | Defensive End | Buffalo Bills | 1990, 1996 |
| Reggie Smith | 2 | Defensive End | Philadelphia Eagles / Green Bay Packers | 1987, 1998 |
| Ray Lewis | 2 | Linebacker | Baltimore Ravens | 2000, 2003 |
Where only two running backs have won three awards for Offensive Player of the Year, the DPOY award boasts three stalwart defenders in Donald, Watt, and Taylor. All three of these players earned the award in back-to-back seasons.
For all their accolades, none of these players brought their team to a Super Bowl in the same year they won DPOY.
NFL Teams With the Most DPOY Winners
| Team | Awards Won | Most Recent DPOY Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 8 | OLB - T.J. Watt (2021) |
| Baltimore Ravens | 4 | OLB - Terrell Suggs (2011) |
| New York Giants | 4 | DE - Michael Strahan (2001) |
| Houston Texans | 3 | DE - J.J. Watt (2015) |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3 | LB - Derrick Brooks (2002) |
| Buffalo Bills | 3 | DE - Bruce Smith (1996) |
| Miami Dolphins | 3 | DE - Jason Taylor (2006) |
| San Francisco 49ers | 3 | DE - Nick Bosa (2022) |
| Los Angeles Rams | 3 | DT - Aaron Donald (2020) |
| Chicago Bears | 3 | LB - Brian Urlacher (2005) |
The Steelers don't even make this close — their long-standing reputation as defensive juggernauts is well-earned, doubling the Ravens and Giants' collection of DPOY award winners.
Teams That Have Never Had A DPOY
While the Steelers seemingly churn out DPOYs every season, several teams have never had a player win the award:
Defensive Player of the Year Betting Trends and Notes
- Four of the previous ten winners led the league in sacks during their DPOY season - Nick Bosa, Aaron Donald, and J.J. Watt (twice).
- Out of the previous ten winners, Aaron Donald (2020) and J.J. Watt (2015) are the only two players to have favorited odds before the start of the season.
- The five most recent DPOY winners represent the longest span the award has gone to a different player each year since J.J. Watt won his first award in 2012.
- Players can still stand a chance at winning even if their team’s performance is subpar — four of the last nine winners played on a defense that was ranked lower than the top ten.
More NFL Futures Content
NFL Defensive POY Betting FAQ
Can I bet on the NFL Defensive Player of the Year?
Yes, you can bet on the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, plus a number of other NFL futures like Offensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year. But before you wager on these awards, be sure to sign up for a betting account with an online sportsbook.
Who is the favorite to win the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year?
TJ Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers is the current betting favorite at -350 odds to win the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Micah Parsons, Aaron Donald and Myles Garrett are next up on the list in DPOY odds.
Who won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2020?
Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald won the award in 2020. With 13.5 sacks, Donald was a dominant force for the Rams, and won his third Defensive Player of the Year award in four years. This season, Donald will try to become the first player to ever win the award four times.
