2018 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds Tracker
By Matt McEwan
Updated:
- Darius Leonard won the 2018 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award
- Look back at how the 2018 DROY odds changed throughout the season
- Looking for current NFL DROY odds?
Have a look back at the odds to win the 2018 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Colts linebacker Darius Leonard took home the 2018 DROY, but was not seen as a favorite to start the season. See when sportsbooks started to buy into Leonard winning the award below.
2018 NFL DROY Top Contenders
The 2018 NFL Draft saw two defensive players selected in the top five: Denzel Ward (4th to the Browns) and Bradley Chubb (5th to the Broncos).
While both players made an impact with their respective teams, two other defenders taken later in the draft stood above the rest all season.
Darius Leonard was named the 2018 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year at the 2019 NFL Honors on February 2, edging out Derwin James.
Closing 2018 NFL DROY Odds
| Player | Team | Pos | Drafted | Closing Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darius Leonard | IND | ILB | 36th Overall | -155 |
| Derwin James | LAC | S | 17th Overall | +170 |
| Leighton Vander Esch | DAL | ILB | 19th Overall | +500 |
| Bradley Chubb | DEN | EDGE | 5th Overall | +1600 |
*Odds Taken December 26, 2018
Notable Movement in 2018 DROY Odds
- [01/20/19] None of our top online sports betting sites have released new odds following Week 17
- [12/26/18] The favorite has flipped again, as Leonard enters Week 17 as the odds-on favorite for DROY
- [12/12/18] Derwin James is again separating from the pack as the favorite for DROY
- [11/07/18] It only took one week for Leonard’s stranglehold on the award to loosen. Derwin James has overtaken him as the favorite.
- [10/31/18] Darius Leonard has emerged as the clear favorite to win the 2018 NFL DROY award, now sporting -280 odds. Derwin James and Denzel Ward appear to be the only players capable of making a move on him.
- [05/23/18] Bradley Chubb opened as the clear favorite to win 2018 NFL DROY. With Von Miller attracting all the attention on the opposite edge, Chubb will have plenty of one-on-one opportunities when rushing the passer.
Top 2018 DROY Contenders at Each Position
Leonard was the first ILB to win the award since Luke Kuechly in 2012. Had Derwin James claimed the honor, he would have been the first safety to do so since Mark Carrier in 1990.
Top 2018 DROY Contenders by Draft Round
Darius Leonard became the first player since DeMeco Ryans in 2006 to win DROY without being selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Editor-in-Chief; Sports Betting Expert
With nearly a decade working in the industry, Matt is a seasoned sports betting veteran. He got his start with SBD in 2016 and worked his way up the ladder to become the Editor-in-Chief. Along the way he has done everything from reviewing sportsbooks to creating proprietary sports betting tools.
