Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. is the new favorite to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year after Myles Garrett was placed on injured reserve.
Key Takeaways
- Anderson opened the year at +1,200.
- Garrett had shortened to around +400 after he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams.
- Fred Warner is the only non-defensive lineman or EDGE player among the top candidates.
| Player | bet365 | FanDuel | DraftKings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will Anderson Jr. | +350 | +470 | +320 |
| Aidan Hutchinson | +475 | +470 | +500 |
| T.J. Watt | +900 | +1,000 | +650 |
| Nik Bonitto | +1,000 | +1,000 | +1,000 |
| Maxx Crosby | +1,100 | +1,500 | +900 |
| Nick Bosa | +2,200 | +3,300 | +1,600 |
| Fred Warner | +2,200 | +2,700 | +1,800 |
| Danielle Hunter | +2,500 | +2,500 | +2,500 |
| Jalen Carter | +2,500 | +2,500 | +2,800 |
| Myles Garrett | +2,500 | +4,500 | +2,500 |
| Brian Burns | +2,800 | +3,500 | +2,200 |
| Jared Verse | +3,500 | +4,000 | +2,500 |
| Trey Hendrickson | +3,000 | +3,500 | +2,500 |
Major online U.S. sports betting sites now have Anderson as the co- or outright favorite in Defensive Player of the Year odds.
Garrett opened around +800 before surging to approximately +400 after his trade to the Los Angeles Rams. His debut in blue and yellow was thoroughly pedestrian, as he logged his first game since 2018 without recording a pressure. It was then determined that he needed surgery to help him get back to full strength.
Rams star Myles Garrett will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his ailing knee and is headed to injured reserve, sources tell @ringer @netflixsports.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 13, 2026
Garrett has been dealing with lower-leg pain and wasn’t himself in Thursday’s opener. The hope is he’s back in four weeks. pic.twitter.com/naTKJDV06R
With Garrett falling behind, DraftKings has Anderson, who had 12 sacks and three forced fumbles last year, as low as +320. That translates to a 23.8% implied chance of winning the award.
Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is the top challenger and the only player to match Anderson's odds at any sportsbook. His odds are as low as +470 (17.5% chance) after he recorded two sacks in his season opener Sunday.
Most sportsbooks have a substantial drop-off between the top two and the rest of the field. DraftKings is the exception to the rule, valuing Pittsburgh Steelers OLB T.J. Watt at +650. The 2021 DPOY had two sacks and a pick-6 in the first game of his 10th season, a 20-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons.
OH MY T.J. WATT WITH THE PICK-6 🚨
— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026
ATLvsPIT on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/9OYHvUeNTN
Denver Broncos outside linebacker Nik Bonitto and Las Vegas Raiders OLB Maxx Crosby are in their own chase pack. Bonitto is valued at +1,000 across the board, while Crosby is between +900 and +1,500 after he posted 1.5 sacks in Week 1.
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Further down
Behind the initial chase pack, San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa leads the remaining candidates, checking in at +1,600 at DraftKings. He is as long as +3,300 at FanDuel.
His teammate, linebacker Fred Warner, is the only other player with odds shorter than +2,000 at any sportsbook. He’s as low as +1,800 at DraftKings and as long as +2,700 at FanDuel.
Fred Warner came back and immediately made his presence felt for San Francisco
— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) September 11, 2026
11 TKL, 5 SOLO, 1 PD, 1 FF
A strong return from the heart of the 49ers defense. pic.twitter.com/FIAE3pEbcj
Anderson isn’t the only Texans player with a reasonable chance of winning the honor. Fellow defensive end Danielle Hunter, who is coming off a 15-sack, three-forced-fumble season, is eighth in odds at +2,500. That means there's a 27.7% implied chance the next DPOY winner is currently playing their football in Houston.
All of the other players in contention between Hunter and Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell play on the defensive line or at EDGE. Mitchell, a first-team All-Pro in 2025, is as short as +4,500 at FanDuel.
Three of the last four winners - Garrett (twice) and Bosa - were defensive ends, and 10 of the last 12 were defensive linemen or EDGE defenders. The only exceptions were both cornerbacks, Patrick Surtain II (2024) and Stephon Gilmore (2019).
The last true linebacker to win the award was Luke Kuechly in 2013. The last safety to win was Troy Polamalu in 2010.
