Will Anderson, Jalen Carter Defensive Rookie of the Year Race Coming Down to the Wire

Jalen Carter was the heavy favorite to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year for many weeks, but the gap has closed considerably with one game remaining in the regular season.

The Eagles’ defensive tackle was as high as -20000 at some betting sites as recently as late-December, but now has odds of only -130 to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, per BetMGM.

Texans edge rusher Will Anderson is hot on his heels. The third overall pick in the draft has +135 odds and could seize the hardware with a strong finish in Week 18.

Rams defensive tackle Kobie Turner has also made a huge late-season run, going from off the board for much of the year to +600 with one game remaining.

Those are the three main candidates to win Defensive Rookie of the Year, as the other two players in the top-5 are listed as longshots. Odds courtesy of BetMGM on January 5:

• Jalen Carter -130
• Will Anderson +135
• Kobie Turner +600
• Devon Witherspoon +5000
• Brian Branch +6600

Carter has six sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery that he returned for a touchdown, but the statistical production has dropped off over the past several games. Carter still ranks well when it comes to advanced analysis like pass-rush win rate, but the oddsmakers have certainly hedged about his ability to win the award.

Anderson has seven sacks and 22 quarterback hits on the year. He has consistently ranked among the best in the NFL at both pass-rush win rate and run-stop win rate, so it’s a surprise that he was rated as such a longshot to win this award for so long.

Turner is up to nine sacks on the season, which leads all rookies, and also has 15 quarterback hits. Carter and Anderson were both top-10 picks while Turner went in the third round, but his teammates have been vocal about his inclusion in the conversation, which has helped improve his odds.

Witherspoon made the Pro Bowl as a rookie and Branch has been impressive for the Lions this season, but the oddsmakers don’t feel like they can seriously challenge the three defensive linemen.

If Turner can get one more sack in Week 18, a double-digit number could really turn some heads. All three of the top players seem to have a case, with the odds much closer now than they were for some time.

Betting Prediction: Will Anderson wins NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (+135 odds at BetMGM)