They each have longshot odds, but there are 4 New York Jets defenders listed as betting options for Defensive Player of the Year
If you’re a New York Jets fan looking to bet on the 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award and find some bang for your buck while doing it, there are some intriguing options at your disposal.
Four Jets defenders are listed as betting options for DPOY at FanDuel: linebacker C.J. Mosley, safety Jordan Whitehead, defensive end Carl Lawson, and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. Mosley is tied for the 90th-best odds at +25000 while the other three players are tied for 77th with +20000 odds.
It’s tough to imagine any of these players coming close to winning the award – hence their odds – but if you’re interested in making a high-reward play, it’s possible to envision dream-scenario outcomes in which three of these players can make a case for DPOY.
Mosley (+25000) is a four-time second-team All-Pro whose career-high numbers in various categories can be combined to create an elite resume in terms of box-score production. Here are Mosley’s career highs in a few major categories: 168 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, 4 interceptions, 8 passes defended, 3 forced fumbles, and 3 fumble recoveries.
Comparatively, the last off-ball linebacker to win DPOY (Luke Kuechly in 2013) had 156 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, 4 interceptions, 7 passes defended, and zero fumbles forced or recovered.
So, if Mosley can put everything together in a year where he needs to prove to the Jets that they shouldn’t cut him after the season, there is a tiny chance he could make a run.
Lawson (+20000) is another player who might have a dark-horse shot. Back in 2020, Lawson ranked sixth among all defenders with 64 pressures. He only converted those into 5.5 sacks, but that was largely because the Bengals had arguably the worst defensive line in the NFL outside of Lawson. As part of a substantially more talented unit with the Jets, Lawson will have a chance to turn his elite pressure total into an elite sack total.
The two-way prowess of Williams (+20000) gives him the potential to become a game-wrecking star. Back in 2020, he produced “impact plays” (run stops, pressures, or pass breakups) at the second-best frequency in the NFL among interior defensive linemen. Williams was only 22 years old going into that season. Now entering his prime at 24 years old, the former third overall pick still has the potential to become a bona fide star.
Again, it’s extremely unlikely that any of these players exceed expectations to the point where they put themselves in the conversation to be the best defensive player in football. But if you’re the type who loves low-percentage bets with incredibly high potential payouts, these guys’ odds make them worth looking at.
Here are the betting favorites to win DPOY at FanDuel:
- Myles Garrett, CLE (+700)
- T.J. Watt, PIT (+800)
- Aaron Donald, LAR (+900)
- Micah Parsons, DAL (+1000)
- Nick Bosa, SF (+1400)
- Joey Bosa, LAC (+2500)
- Rashan Gary, GB (+3000)
- Darius Leonard, IND (+3000)
- Maxx Crosby, LVR (+3000)
