The race for the 2026 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award is shaping up to be one of the most competitive individual battles of the season, with several elite pass rushers entering the year as legitimate contenders.
Myles Garrett sits at the front of the market after a historic 2025 campaign, but Houston Texans star Will Anderson Jr. and Detroit Lions standout Aidan Hutchinson are among the leading players capable of challenging him. According to ATS.io’s latest futures analysis, the market remains relatively open despite Garrett’s status as the reigning winner.
Garrett enters the season after recording an NFL-record 23 sacks and 33 tackles for loss in 2025. He subsequently captured his second Defensive Player of the Year award. The veteran pass rusher has also recorded at least 10 sacks in eight consecutive seasons, giving him one of the strongest statistical résumés among the candidates.
His offseason move from Cleveland to the Los Angeles Rams adds another intriguing element to his 2026 outlook. Garrett joins a defensive front that also features the return of Aaron Donald, potentially making it more difficult for opposing offenses to consistently focus their protection schemes on him. ATS.io ultimately projects Garrett to repeat as Defensive Player of the Year.
Will Anderson Jr. represents one of the strongest challenges to Garrett. The Houston defensive star finished 2025 with 12 sacks and three forced fumbles while earning First-Team All-Pro honors. He also became a finalist for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Anderson has improved his sack total in each of his NFL seasons and enters his fourth campaign with 30 career sacks. A jump into the upper tier of the league’s sack leaders could put him in position to overtake Garrett in the award race.
Aidan Hutchinson is another player attracting significant attention. Hutchinson recorded 14.5 sacks over 17 games in 2025, helping anchor a Detroit defense that finished tied for fourth in the NFL with 49 sacks.
The Lions also added defensive-line depth during the offseason, potentially giving Hutchinson more opportunities to benefit from favorable matchups. A season with more than 15 sacks could make him one of the most serious candidates for the award.
Behind the top three, Nik Bonitto offers an intriguing option. The Denver Broncos pass rusher recorded 14 sacks and 28 quarterback hits in 2025 while earning his second consecutive Pro Bowl selection. Denver led the NFL in sacks for a second straight season and established a franchise record with 68 sacks, giving Bonitto a strong defensive environment entering 2026.
Micah Parsons remains another elite name in the futures market, although his path is complicated by injury. Parsons recorded 12.5 sacks in just 14 games last season and has reached at least 12 sacks in each of his first five NFL seasons. However, his recovery from a torn ACL means he will miss at least the first four games of the season, putting him at an immediate statistical disadvantage.
Maxx Crosby also remains a potential long-shot contender. Crosby posted 10 sacks and 28 tackles for loss in 2025 despite missing the final two games. His case relies heavily on his ability to generate disruption beyond sack totals, although Las Vegas may need a stronger overall season for him to receive the same level of national attention as the leading candidates.
Recent preseason predictions also point toward Garrett as a leading choice. The NFL’s own 2026 award predictions include him among the prominent candidates, while other analysts have highlighted Anderson and Hutchinson as potential challengers.
For bettors looking at the 2026 Defensive Player of the Year futures market, Garrett offers the combination of recent production, proven award success and a potentially dominant supporting cast in Los Angeles. Anderson and Hutchinson provide the strongest alternatives, while Bonitto and Crosby could offer more value if their defensive units produce another outstanding season.
For now, Myles Garrett is the best futures bet to repeat as NFL Defensive Player of the Year, according to the ATS.io analysis. The race, however, could change quickly once the regular season gets underway.
Source: ats.io
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