NFL Offensive, Defensive Player Of The Year Odds

The NFL released its 2022 schedule last week and most sportsbooks followed with opening lines for those games. Bettors reviewed NFL odds for Week 1, but those aren’t the only wagers people can make these days. Sharps are also keeping a close eye on the odds for the league’s many postseason awards, as potential value for these bets could pop up with any shift in the line.

The NFL Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards have been around since the early 1970s, with the Associated Press handing these out along with several others at NFL Honors each season. LA Rams wideout Cooper Kupp and Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt enter the 2022 season as the incumbent winners.

The players in the running for these awards remain integral parts of teams with some of the best NFL Futures odds heading into the season. Here’s a look at the early odds for the 2022 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards.

2022 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Odds

Player		Team		Best Odds
Cooper Kupp, WR		Los Angeles Rams		+800 (DraftKings)
Jonathan Taylor, RB		Indianapolis Colts		+800 (SugarHouse)
Derrick Henry, RB		Tennessee Titans		+900 (PointsBet)
Deebo Samuel, WR		San Francisco 49ers		+1000 (DraftKings)
Davante Adams, WR		Las Vegas Raiders		+1200 (BetMGM)

The NFL Offensive Player of the Year award usually honors an offensive skill player who’s had a record-breaking season at his position. Those players are often passed over for league MVP by the NFL’s top quarterback that season, so this secondary award provides them a postseason honor. NFL MVP has almost exclusively a quarterback honor at this point. Only one non-QB has won the MVP since 2006 (running back Adrian Peterson in 2012).

But AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year is a little different. The award went to a non-quarterback in four of the last five seasons, and six of the last 10. The MVP and OPoY were the same player in four of the last 10 seasons. Running backs have won the award 26 times, while quarterbacks have taken it home 20 times. It’s been won by a wide receiver on four occasions, including two of the last three years.

Last year’s winner, Cooper Kupp, stands as an early leader in the odds for the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year. He’s listed either as the favorite or co-favorite at every sportsbook that’s provided futures odds for the award. Kupp enters 2022 coming of a Super Bowl LVI MVP award after leading the league in catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns last season.

Colts running back Jonathan Taylor comes off a similarly impressive 2022 season. After leading the league in rushing (1,811) rushing touchdowns (18), and total touchdowns (20), he likely would’ve been the NFL MVP had the award gone to a non-quarterback. He’ll once again be the focal point of Indianapolis’ offense, and he’ll have a better quarterback at the helm, lining up behind Matt Ryan.

Titans running back Derrick Henry opened the 2021 campaign with the best odds to win the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year but an injury submarined those hopes. Henry looks to bounce back and stands as an early favorite for Comeback Player of the Year. Last season, Henry registered 937 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns through his first eight games before suffering a broken foot in Week 8.

A pair of talented receivers round out the early leaders in odds top-five for this award. San Francisco’s Deebo Samuel stands out as a do-it-all option who can be deployed anywhere on the field. New Raiders receiver Davante Adams, meanwhile, looks to regain his place as a top wideout out in Las Vegas.

2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Odds

Player		Team		Best Odds
Aaron Donald, DT		Los Angeles Rams		+500 (Twin Spires)
T.J. Watt, LB		Pittsburgh Steelers		+600 (Twin Spires)
Myles Garrett, DE		Cleveland Browns		+600 (BetMGM)
Micah Parsons, LB		Dallas Cowboys		+900 (FoxBet)
Nick Bosa, DE		San Francisco 49ers		+1200 (FanDuel)

The AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year award goes to the league’s best defender. Over the years, linebackers held the honor most, winning the award 17 times. Defensive ends earned the honor 13 times, followed by defensive tackles (10), cornerbacks (6) and safeties (5). Twice has the DPoY also won the AP NFL MVP award, but it hasn’t happened since 1086.

Last year’s winner, Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt, took home the award after tying the NFL’s single-season sack record (22.5), which was set by Michael Strahan in 2001. Watt’s led the league in sacks and tackles-for-loss in consecutive seasons. His brother, J.J., stands as the last player to win this award in back-to-back seasons (2014, 2015). The elder Watt remains tied with Aaron Donald and Lawrence Taylor for the most DPoY wins all-time (3).

Aaron Donald won the award in 2020 and could very well raise the bar to four honors with another All-Pro level season. Despite rumors of a possible retirement, Donald has plenty left in the tank, as evidenced by his two-sack performance in the Super Bowl. He has at least 12.5 sacks in each of the last four seasons, including a league-leading 20.5 in 2018. Donald’s finished in the top-5 in the voting for this award in each of the last seven seasons.

Browns defensive end Myles Garrett opened as the favorite to win this award at most sportsbooks back in late March. But his initial +650 odds in many places faded, and while the consensus on him remains around +700, he’s still among the top-3 odds at most sportsbooks. Garrett enters the 2022 season following his third Pro Bowl berth and second All-Pro first-team honor. He’s registered double-digit sacks in each of the last four seasons.

Dallas linebacker Micah Parsons nearly won this award as a rookie last season. Instead, he had to settle for Defensive Rookie of the Year following a 13-sack first-year campaign. He’s getting better than 10/1 odds at some sportsbooks because he’s poised for another stellar season with the Cowboys.

49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa rounds out the early leaders in odds top-five for this award. The fourth-year pro finished with 15.5 sacks last season, a solid bounce back season after playing only two games the year before. If Bosa makes a run at the single-season sack record, something that’s certainly possible, he’ll be in the mix for the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year.