NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds for 2026 Season

No awards race is as wide open every NFL season as the competition for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Last year, it was Browns' lineback Carson Schwesinger, who was virtually off the odds board at the start of the year, who ended up winning the award. The second-round pick out of UCLA racked up 67 solo tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two interceptions en route to winning it.

Will we see another long-shot win this season? Let's take a look at the odds list for Defensive Rookie of the Year as we approach the opening kickoff of the 2026 campaign.

2026 Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Rueben Bain Jr. +470
David Bailey+500
Caleb Downs+700
Sonny Styles +750
Arvell Reese +850
Mansoor Delane +1000
Jacob Rodriguez +1500
Akheem Mesidor +1500
Malachi Lawrence +2700
Dillon Thieneman +3300
Keldric Faulk +3500
CJ Allen +3500
T.J. Parker +4000
Bryce Boettcher +5000
Cashius Howell +5000
Caleb Banks +5000
Peter Woods +5000
Emmanuel McNeil-Warren +5000
D'Angelo Ponds +6000

Rueben Bain Jr. of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers enters the regular season as the +470 favorite to be named Defensive Rookie of the Year, an implied probability of 17.54%.

The former Miami Hurricane was drafted with the 15th overall pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he's now expected to immediately become their biggest threat for their pass rush, an area that left a lot to be desired last season.

Close behind Bain Jr. are David Bailey of the New York Jets, Caleb Down of the Dallas Cowboys, Sonny Styles of the Washington Commanders, and Arvell Reese of the New York Giants.

The award has been won by several different defensive positions over the years. Schwesinger won it as a lineback last year. Jared Verse and Will Anderson won it as pass rushers in the two years prior. Sauce Gardner won it as a cornerback in 2022.

With that being said, if Downs can win the award, he will become the first safety since Mark Carrier in 1990 to win the award.

As is the case with most awards, expect the odds to move rapidly as we get a few weeks into the season.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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