Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds – Will Anderson Starts Season As 4-1 Favorite
- Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr is the +400 favorite in the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds
- Three of the last seven winners of the awards were EDGE players
- Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans was NFL DROY in 2006
If Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr is seeking advice on what it takes to be the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year winner, he won’t need to go far for such counsel. His head coach DeMeco Ryans won the award in 2006 when he was the Texans middle linebacker.
Oddsmakers are very much liking Anderson to become the third Texans player to earn the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year nod. He’s set as the +400 favorite in the betting for NFL DROY odds. Houston LB Brian Cushing also won the award in 2009.
What Are the Odds for Defensive Rookie of the Year
| Player (Team) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Will Anderson Jr (Houston Texans) | +400 |
| Jalen Carter (Philadelphia Eagles) | +600 |
| Tyree Wilson (Las Vegas Raiders) | +1000 |
| Devon Witherspoon (Seattle Seahawks) | +1000 |
| Christian Gonzalez (New England Patriots) | +1400 |
| Lukas Van Ness (Green Bay Packers) | +1400 |
| Jack Campbell (Detroit Lions) | +1400 |
| Emmanuel Forbes (Washington Commanders) | +1600 |
| Nolan Smith (Philadelphia Eagles) | +1800 |
| Will McDonald IV (New York Jets) | +2500 |
| Deonte Banks (New York Giants) | +2500 |
| Brian Branch (Detroit Lions) | +2500 |
| Calijah Kancey (Pittsburgh Steelers) | +2500 |
| Felix Anudike-Uzomah (Kansas City Chiefs) | +2500 |
| Keion White (New England Patriots) | +2500 |
| Joey Porter Jr (Pittsburgh Steelers) | +3000 |
| Myles Murphy (Cincinnati Bangals) | +3000 |
| Drew Sanders (Denver Broncos) | +3000 |
| Trenton Simpson (Baltimore Ravens) | +4000 |
| Brian Bresee (New Orleans Saints) | +4000 |
| Cameron Smith (Miami Dolphins) | +4000 |
| BJ Ojulari (Arizona Cardinals) | +4000 |
| Mazi Smith (Dallas Cowboys) | +4000 |
| Kelee Ringo (Philadelphia Eagles) | +5000 |
Linebackers or EDGE players have won five of the past seven NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year awards. However, cornerbacks have also earned their fair share of DROY honors. They’ve grabbed the award in three of the past eight seasons. A safety hasn’t won NFL DROY since Mark Carrier of the Chicago Bears in 1990. Last year’s win by New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner was ending a three-year run by NFC players.
Odds as of September 2 at BetMGM Sportsbook. Access this BetMGM promo code to bet on which NFL player you think will win the Defensive Rookie of the Year here.
Who Is the Favorite to Win DROY?
Voters tend to be drawn to players who make big plays when awards balloting takes place and that’s why Anderson is grabbing the spotlight. During his last three years at Alabama Anderson was accounting for 207 quarterback pressures, 71 quarterback hits, 58.5 tackles for loss, and 34.5 sacks. Each of those totals led all of college football over that span.
Will Anderson Jr. plays football today. pic.twitter.com/isYqhU1bo5
— Drew (@IndepthTexans) August 27, 2023
Along those same lines, if you’re looking for some value, maybe consider Washington Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes (+1600). At Mississippi, he picked off 16 passes. Last season, he snared six interceptions. Over his college playing days, Forbes rambled for a half dozen pick sixes. Those are playmaker skills and ball hawks who carry a penchant for creating turnovers in college historically see those talents translate well at the NFL level.
Jalen Carter (+600) is looking impressive for the Philadelphia Eagles, but there’s two questions surrounding his DROY candidacy – will he get enough playing time with the defending NFC champions and can he make enough big-time plays from defensive tackle to turn heads?
That could be a similar dilemma facing New England Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez (+1400) and Detroit Lions LB Jack Campbell (+1400). Both figure to play a lot and enjoy long, productive NFL careers. But they’re solid players who aren’t as likely to make highlight-reel type plays that draw attention.
Who Is the Best Bet for Defensive Rookie of the Year?
Add it all up when you finish the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year equation, the answer keeps coming out to be Anderson. With the rebuilding Texans, he’s going to play a lot. There’s no reason for Houston not to keep running Anderson out on the field.
Highest rookie preseason PFF grades:
1. Will Anderson Jr. (92.4)
2. Jalen Carter (91.4) 🦅 pic.twitter.com/qP3qSQsBeE— Word On The Birds (@WordOnTheBirds) August 26, 2023
He’ll be making big plays. And with a mentor like Ryan to guide his daily progress, he only figures to keep getting better.
NFL DROY pick: Will Anderson (Houston Texans) +400
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An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
