There is a three-way tie at the top of the 2025-26 NFL DPOY odds boards ahead of Week 1. Without a clear front-runner for the Defensive Player of the Year award, you can find excellent returns on all potential winners.
But who represents the best value? Check out my expert analysis of the favorites and my NFL DPOY predictions for the 2025-26 season.
NFL Defensive Player of the Year Odds for 2025-26
See the latest NFL DPOY odds, courtesy of Bovada, in the table below.
| Player | DPOY Odds |
|---|---|
| Aidan Hutchinson | +600 |
| Micah Parsons | +600 |
| Myles Garrett | +600 |
| Jared Verse | +750 |
| T.J. Watt | +800 |
| Nick Bosa | +900 |
| Will Anderson | +900 |
| Maxx Crosby | +1400 |
| Jalen Carter | +2000 |
| Trey Hendrickson | +2200 |
Aidan Hutchinson, Micah Parsons, and Myles Garrett are tied for the best DPOY odds at NFL betting sites. All three pass rushers are available at 6-1. Reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse and perennial DPOY contender T.J. Watt round out the top five at +750 and +800, respectively.
Bovada offers odds on more than 100 defensive players in this market, including top rookies like Abdul Carter (+4000), so check them out if you’re looking for underdogs.
2025 NFL DPOY 2025 Favorites
Let’s take a closer look at the top five NFL DPOY favorites for the 2025 season.
Aidan Hutchinson (+600)
Lions star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson assumed the pole position in the DPOY race last season after racking up a league-high 6.5 sacks in the first four games. Hutchinson got another sack in Detroit’s Week 6 matchup against the Cowboys.
Unfortunately, Hutchinson also broke his leg in that game, bringing his season to an abrupt end.
Aidan Hutchinson practicing a move to HIT on Penei Sewell and then EXECUTING it 🔥🔥🔥
The Detroit Lions have the BEST defensive lineman’s and offensive lineman in the NFL
(🎥: @Lions) pic.twitter.com/OzNBtoNfGd
— Crunch Time Sports (@officialctpod) August 15, 2025
The silver lining of the injury is that it happened early in the season, giving Hutchinson nearly a year to recover. If Hutchinson sprints out to another league-leading sack total, he could break away from the pack in the DPOY race.
Hutchinson’s injury also makes him an interesting Comeback Player of the Year candidate.
On the other hand, there is no telling how well Hutchinson will be able to rush the passer one year removed from a gruesome leg injury. He could quickly fall out of DPOY contention if Hutchinson cannot dominate the line of scrimmage like he used to before the injury.
Micah Parsons (+600)
Another pass rusher tied at 6-1 odds to win DPOY in 2025 is Micah Parsons. Like Hutchinson, Parsons missed time last season with injuries. He missed four games but still racked up 12 sacks and 43 total tackles.
He nearly won DPOY as a rookie, and Parsons is undeniably one of the best defensive players in the NFL. However, his ongoing contract dispute with the Cowboys could be a problem. If Parsons sits out games, his chances at winning DPOY will fade quickly.
Dallas has a history of dragging out negotiations with its stars, though, and there is still time to get Parsons signed before the season opener.
When on the field, Parsons has been very productive. He has 52.5 sacks so far and is only the second player to have at least 12 sacks each of his first four seasons in the NFL.
Myles Garrett (+600)
The third player available at +600 in the updated DPOY odds is Cleveland’s Myles Garrett. After requesting a trade this offseason, Garrett agreed to give up any chance at winning a Super Bowl and stay in Cleveland in exchange for $40 million per year.
Myles Garrett hitting the crossbar with ease 🤯
QB1? 😂
(via @NFL)
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) August 23, 2025
Garrett is beloved by the NFL media, which helps his case for DPOY. He is consistently a preseason favorite but has only won the award once. He took home the DPOY trophy in 2023, despite only being seventh in sacks and having just 42 combined tackles.
His favorability with the media makes it impossible to discount Garrett as a DPOY contender. On the other hand, the Browns do not have any prime-time games this season. So, Garrett’s opportunities to stand out this season will be few and far between.
Jared Verse (+750)
The Rams drafted Jared Verse with the 19th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Verse dominated in his first season and earned DROY honors for his efforts, getting 36 out of the 49 votes for DROY in 2024.
Expectations are high for Verse in year two. If he can live up to them, the young star can quickly move up DPOY odds boards. Conversely, a slow start will likely tank Verse’s DPOY chances and could derail the Rams’ aspirations of repeating as NFC West division winners.
T.J. Watt (+800)
Rounding out the top five in the latest preseason DPOY odds is Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt. He has made the Pro Bowl seven consecutive years and is also a five-time All-Pro.
TJ Watt since 2020:
🟡 73.5 sacks (1st)
⚫️ 56 TFLs (2nd)The highest-paid non-QB in NFL history 💰 pic.twitter.com/TLvsUKWjn1
— PFF (@PFF) July 17, 2025
Watt won this DPOY in 2021, the same year he tied the single-season sack record (22.5). He has also finished in the top five of DPOY voting in five of the last six years. His production fell off at the end of last season, but Watt still has 108 sacks so far in his eight-year career.
The Steelers have four prime-time games this season, starting with their Week 7 matchup against Cincinnati. Showing out in standalone games has helped Watt’s DPOY odds before, and he could follow a similar path this season.
Best DPOY Sleepers
Favorites are not the only way to bet on your Defensive Player of the Year NFL predictions. Locking in value on sleeper picks is an excellent way to take advantage of the latest DOPY betting odds.
The following guys are underrated by the bookies.
Defensive Player of the Year Prediction and Pick
My NFL DPOY pick is T.J. Watt (+800). Pittsburgh went all-in this season in its attempt to build around QB Aaron Rodgers. While their overall plan will likely fail, Watt is in a great position to return to dominance on the line of scrimmage.
Watt gets to play Cincinnati’s poor offensive line twice. The Steelers also play the Jets, Colts, and Bears. Justin Fields, the Jets’ new QB, was sacked 16 times last season despite only starting six games.
Likewise, Daniel Jones (29 sacks in 10 games) and Caleb Williams (68 sacks in 17 games) are among the most frequently sacked QBs, giving Watt an excellent opportunity to rack up stats for his DPOY case.
My sleeper pick, Trey Hendrickson (+2200), is also a pass rusher in the AFC North. He led the league in sacks last season and finished second in DPOY. Also, because the rest of the Bengals’ defense is so bad, Hendrickson will have plenty of chances to rush the passer in shootouts.
My main wager is on Watt, but I will also place a small bet on Hendrickson because his DPOY betting odds are too good to ignore.
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