The Defensive Player of the Year betting odds for 2023 are dominated by pass rushers. That’s no real surprise, given that the award has been won by a player with double-digit sacks in 10 of the past 12 years. However, with strong showings, we’ve also seen linebackers and defensive backs put themselves in the frame.
In this article, we look at the odds for the top options for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, as well as getting predictions and longshot picks from our team of analysts. Making up our team are PFN’s Chief NFL Analyst Trey Wingo, our Chief Content Officer David Bearman, Betting and Fantasy Analysts BJ Rudell and Jason Katz, and FOX Sports Chris “The Bear” Fallica.
Live Defensive Player of the Year Odds
Odds are taken from DraftKings Sportsbook and correct as of June 14, 2023.
NFL Defensive Player of the Year Predictions
Wingo: No player does more than Micah Parsons (+650 at Caesars). If he just rushed the passer, he’d lead the league in sacks. If he just played LB, he’d lead the league in tackles. He’s the best-tooled defensive threat in the NFL.
Fallica: There will probably be some voter fatigue with Nick Bosa, and can Micah Parsons replicate what he did last year? With that in mind, I’ll go down the board a bit to Roquan Smith (+4000), who is a tackling machine and can do just about everything for a team that will be in playoff contention and is known for its defense.
Bearman: Micah Parsons is the obvious bet here, but I don’t want to join everyone else. I saw Sauce Gardner (+1500) up close last year, and he’s the real deal. He’ll get plenty of opportunities to shine in a tough division with HOF QBs. And if he shuts them down like he did others last year, he could be a surprise pick to win this one.
BJ: Nick Bosa (+1200) ran away with this award last season while leading the league with 18.5 sacks in 16 games. The 25-year-old should once again help anchor an elite defensive unit that’s hard to wear down. Barring something unforeseen, he’s a good bet to post the kind of numbers voters can’t ignore.
Katz: I really hate betting the odds favorite, but it feels like Micah Parsons’ year at +650. Parsons got DPOY votes as a rookie and finished second to Nick Bosa as a sophomore. Parsons wants to be the best defensive player in the NFL. This year, he very well may be.
He also has the benefit from two of the next three guys in terms of odds, having won it the past two seasons in Bosa and T.J. Watt. Having never won it before, the third time may very well be the charm for Parsons.
NFL Defensive Player of the Year Sleepers and Longshots
Wingo: Let’s not forget about Chris Jones (+3000). I don’t know if there is one defensive player that means more to his team than Jones to Kansas City. If Jones isn’t everything, the Chiefs have problems defensively. He might be the most important defender in the NFL.
Bearman: We know the Chargers have a dynamic offense. If Joey Bosa (+4500) can lead the defense to an elite level and a top seed in the loaded AFC, 45-1 would be a nice ticket to have.
BJ: Travon Walker (+7000) might seem like an unusual pick — even as a longshot — despite going No. 1 overall in last year’s draft. That’s because voters for this award love guys who get sacks. Nine of the last 11 winners reached double-digit sacks. One exception, Stephon Gilmore, led the league in picks and pass deflections.
So Walker has his work cut out for him since he’s never been a big sack guy. However, as the anchor of a seemingly ascending unit, if the Jaguars continue to improve, he’ll likely earn considerable credit for the turnaround.
Katz: There’s no love lost between this guy and me after what he did to Nick Foles last season, but Kayvon Thibodeaux at +5500 is the exact type of longshot we look for. Thibodeaux was once considered the best defensive prospect in the 2022 draft class and finished fourth in DROY voting last season.
We’ve seen plenty of players make significant leaps from their first season to their second. Thibodeaux undeniably has the raw talent to do so. If he does, he could be a surprise winner at very generous odds.
Recent Risers and Fallers
The odds for Defensive Player of the Year have been released reasonably recently, so we haven’t seen much movement so far. One name that we could see as a riser in the coming weeks is Aaron Donald.
Donald won the award three times in four years between 2017 and 2020. Injuries derailed his 2022 season, but it will be no surprise if we see his odds rise as we get more updates on his injury recovery.
Who Is the Favorite To Win Defensive Player of the Year?
The favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year is currently Micah Parsons at +650, as he heads up a top four that is dominated by pass rushers.
Parsons is in the mix with Myles Garrett (+750), T.J. Watt (+850), and Nick Bosa (+1200) as the top four options to win the Defensive Player of the Year award for oddsmakers.
