While the elite quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers normally compete for Most Value Player honors during the NFL regular season, true football fans still know that defense wins championships. BetOnline has set the NFL futures for an extended list of the league’s top defensive players in terms of their betting odds to win MVP honors on this side of the ball.
The NFL is filled with a number of great players on the defensive side of the ball and BetOnline has recently updated it futures odds for the upcoming regular season for some of the ‘best of the best’ when it comes to their chances to be named ‘2017 Defensive Most Valuable Player”
Top Favorite To Win 2017 Defensive MVP
When Houston made former Wisconsin defensive end/linebacker JJ Watt the 11th pick in the first round of the 2011 draft, it knew that it added a blue chip player that could help transform its defense into one of the best in the league. In his first six years in the NFL, Watt has more than lived up to this lofty expectation by winning Defensive MVP honors three times including back-to-back honors in 2014 and 2015. With that kind of past success, it is easy to see why he is at the top of the list to win MVP again in 2017 as a +275 favorite.
Injury shortened Watt’s 2016 campaign to just three games, but there is no reason to believe that he will not be at the top of his game when the Texans open the regular season against Jacksonville at home on Sunday, Aug. 10. That fact that he only played three games last season actually adds value to these odds considering his motivation to get back on top this year.
Top Contenders to Win 2017 Defensive MVP
Next on the list as one of two +450 second-favorites is last year’s Defensive MVP, Khalil Mack. Oakland’s premier defensive end was one of the main reasons why his team jumped to 12-4 last year after failing to post a winning season since 2002. He ended the 2016 season with 54 tackles, 11 sacks and one interception and while the Raiders’ defense was still ranked 26th in the NFL in total yards allowed, it took a big step forward with Mack leading the way. Oakland is only going to get better this season to add some solid value to his odds to repeat.
The other defensive player at +450 betting odds is Denver linebacker Von Miller. He started all 16 games last season and posted 62 tackles and his 13.5 sacks were ranked second in the league. One of the main reasons why Miller has yet to win this award in his first six years in the league could be due to the fact that the Broncos have continually fielded one of the best defensive units in the league. This tends to take the spotlight away from Miller even though he is probably the team’s top player on that side of the ball.
Another top contender could be the Los Angeles Chargers’ defensive end Joey Bosa at +800 betting odds. He was limited to 12 games last year in his rookie campaign, but he still managed to end the year with 29 tackles and an impressive 10.5 sacks. While the bar has already been set sky high for his second season in the NFL, if he can live up to those lofty expectations there is a ton of value in his betting odds.
Top Longshot To Win 2017 Defensive MVP
There are a number of really good defensive players farther down the list at much longer odds, so I decided to focus on someone that was in position to have a huge impact on his team’s fortunes this season. I decided to take a flyer on Minnesota’s fifth-year cornerback Xavier Rhodes. After turning a solid season in 2015 with 55 solo tackles and one interception, he caught some offensive coordinator’s eyes last year after posting 44 tackles and five interceptions.
The Vikings were ranked third in the league against the pass last season and Rhodes was a big part of that success. He would have to snag at least six or seven picks this season to catch the eyes of the folks who vote for this award, but he is definitely on my betting radar at +6600 betting odds to win.