For the First Time This Year, Aaron Donald is Not Favored to Win NFL DPOY; Khalil Mack Given Better Odds

• Aaron Donald slips to +500 in the DPOY odds after recording one sack in the first five games
• Khalil Mack overtakes Rams star after posting 4.5 sacks and four forced fumbles
• Sack-leader Shaq Barrett remains at +1200 odds

Ever since the NFL Defensive Player of the Year odds first opened in late July, reigning champion Aaron Donald has been the favorite to win the award for a second straight year.

That changed on Wednesday when sportsbooks released its latest NFL DPOY odds, showing Donald’s line dropping to +500 and Khalil Mack as the new frontrunner.

Is Donald still the best bet or should Mack be considered the better value through five weeks of action?

2019 NFL DPOY Odds

*Odds taken on Oct. 9.

Sportsbooks’ odds for the 2020 NFL DPOY opened on July 27 and Donald was the +200 favorite. However, the Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle got off to a slow start with just one sack in five games this season. Donald led the league in sacks a year ago with 20.5 to go along with 59 total tackles.

Prior to Donald’s monster 2018 season, the five-time Pro Bowler had never recorded more than 11 sacks in a single season. At the pace he is going now, that may be around the mark he finishes at in 2019.

.@AaronDonald97 coming through ???

?: #LARvsSEA on FOX
?: https://t.co/pfuFFe7HxS
Learn how to watch: https://t.co/I6INVckndX pic.twitter.com/QGGcy4OjPo

— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2019

As a team, the Rams have just 11 sacks this season, which ranks 19th overall in the league.

Donald’s slow start has had a huge impact on the Rams defense this season as the club is allowing 26.8 points per game, which is the seventh-most in the entire league.

Return Of The Mack

What has been the biggest difference-maker for Mack this season that led to sportsbooks listing the Bears linebacker as the NFL DPOY favorite?

Through five games, Mack has posted 15 total tackles — 13 of which were solo. He also has 4.5 sacks and four forced fumbles, which is the most in the NFL along with Whitney Mercilus of the Houston Texans.

Can @FiftyDeuce become the first defensive player to win MVP since @LT_56? ?

?: @KyleBrandt | @gmfb pic.twitter.com/3AwKwplJiZ

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) October 2, 2019

Mack’s odds to win the 2019 NFL DPOY have held firm since the lines first opened in July. Mack’s odds were as short as +370 in early September, but he has been locked in at +400 from September 25 to present.

Here’s a look at how Mack and Donald have stacked up defensively during the 2019 NFL season.

Khalil Mack vs Aaron Donald By The Numbers (2019)

There are two other hopefuls to keep a watch on — Shaquil Barrett of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns.

Barrett wasn’t even on the board until October 2, when the Bucs’ linebacker and the NFL’s sack leader opened at +1200. One week later, Barrett is still listed at the same price, but with much higher value considering he still leads the NFL with nine sacks going into Week 6.

Garrett is listed at +650, but the defensive end has seen one of the biggest swings in the odds so far this year. Garrett initially opened as a +2200 long shot, but his odds shortened as the season progressed — going from +1800 to his current odds to win DPOY.

Garrett sits second in the league in sacks with seven — just two fewer than Barrett.

Get used to seeing Mack at the top of the 2019 NFL DPOY odds as the Bears continue to dominate defensively this season. Mack will be leading the charge and should be considered as the top candidate to win the award.

Pick: Khalil Mack (+400)