2026 NFL Offensive & Defensive Player of the Year Power Rankings, Odds, Analysis

By Thomas Valentine | Jun 10, 2026, 8:25pm

It’s accepted that the MVP award has become a quarterback-only award. After all, the quarterback is the most important position in football. Therefore, the plaudits usually go to the quarterback when things are clicking. That leaves the Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards as the next big non-quarterback awards in the NFL. There’s a plethora of talent across the league, on both sides of the ball. Who’ll be in the hunt for each award in 2026?

NFL Offensive Player of the Year Rankings

Puka Nacua – WR, LAR
Bijan Robinson – RB, ATL
Jahmyr Gibbs – RB, DET
Ja’Marr Chase – WR, CIN
Christian McCaffrey – RB, SFO
Jonathan Taylor – RB, IND
Jaxon Smith-Njigba – WR, SEA
Justin Jefferson – WR, MIN
Derrick Henry – RB, BAL
DeVonta Smith – WR, PHI

NFL Offensive Player of the Year Analysis

Puka Nacua (Los Angeles Rams, WR)

The rate at which Puka Nacua has hit the ground running in his first three seasons in the NFL. Since entering the league, Nacua has caught 313 passes for 4191 yards and 19 touchdowns in 44 games. Through his first three years, Nacua has grown into one of the NFL’s three or four best receivers, and his career 95.3 receiving yards per game are currently the most all-time.

After a career-best season in 2025 that ended with defeat in the NFC Championship, Nacua and the Rams’ offense will likely come out swinging in Week 1. The Rams are stacked across the board, but it’s still Nacua’s connection with Matt Stafford that can take this team to new heights. Stafford was the MVP in 2025, while Nacua finished third in Offensive Player of the Year voting. Nacua will have to play a major role in the Rams reaching their insanely high potential. If he does, he’ll go one step further this season.

Bijan Robinson (Atlanta Falcons, RB)

Bijan Robinson entered the league with immense hype in 2023. Touted as a generational running back prospect, Robinson had it all: speed, shiftiness, balance, and power. It didn’t take long for him to show just how talented he could be at the NFL level. Robinson had a strong first two seasons in the NFL, but really dominated in 2025. He led the league with 2298 total scrimmage yards, and became an integral piece of the Falcons’ passing attack, catching 79-of-103 targets for 820 yards and four touchdowns.

With uncertainty at quarterback for the Falcons, the offense could lean even more on Robinson to move the ball and create explosive plays. Robinson is one of the league’s best explosive generators, too. His 36 rushes of 10 yards or more were the fourth-most in the league, while his 16 rushes of 15 yards or more were sixth-most. He’ll be a permanent fixture on the field for the Falcons, and one of the NFL’s best running backs again.

Jahmyr Gibbs (Detroit Lions, RB)

Jahmyr Gibbs is currently the betting leader for the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year, per FanDuel (+650), and it’s easy to reconcile with that choice. Gibbs was at his game-breaking best in 2025, rushing for 1223 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging 5.0 yards a pop. It was a career-best receiving performance for Gibbs, too, catching 77 passes for 616 yards and five touchdowns.

With David Montgomery now on the Texans and out of the picture, and Isiah Pacheco replacing him, there’ll likely be a career-high workload heading Gibbs’ way in 2026. Gibbs had 320 touches in 2025, the seventh-most in the NFL. He could be approaching 400 touches in 2026 on one of the league’s best offenses. Gibbs could win his first-ever Offensive Player of the Year award.

Ja’Marr Chase (Cincinnati Bengals, WR)

It’s something of a shock that Ja’Marr Chase hasn’t won the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year during his five seasons in the league. Chase finished third in voting in 2024, but aside from that, hasn’t been in the running. For a two-time First Team All-Pro receiver, and arguably, the premier wide receiver in the league, that’s a shock. Chase was the triple-crown winner in 2024.

The Bengals are looking to find their way back into the playoffs after three seasons on the outside looking in. That’s too long a drought for a team with as much offensive talent as the Bengals. But they’ll be truly in the hunt in 2026. Chase, Joe Burrow, and Tee Higgins will be leading that charge, but it’s Chase—who belongs in the pantheon of great receivers—who should be in the running for Offensive Player of the Year.

Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco 49ers, RB)

There hasn’t been a two-time winner of Offensive Player of the Year since Peyton Manning won the award in 2013. Since then, every winner has been a first-time winner of the award. If any player could break that streak in 2026, it’s the 49ers’ running back Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey is entering his 10th season in the NFL, but is still an elite running back. Even in 2025, McCaffrey carried the 49ers offense, totaling 2126 scrimmage yards and 17 touchdowns.

McCaffrey had the best receiving performance of his career since 2019 this past season, catching 102 passes for 924 yards and seven touchdowns, and even as the 49ers’ offense has improved this offseason, McCaffrey will still be the focal point of the offense. If he steers clear of injuries, McCaffrey could reach over 350 touches again. The run game will likely be more efficient than in 2025, and McCaffrey could be a rare two-time winner.

Jonathan Taylor (Indianapolis Colts, RB)

Just like Chase, it’s a shock that Jonathan Taylor hasn’t won an Offensive Player of the Year award, especially after his 2021 season, where he finished second in voting. Taylor has been on a heater for the last two seasons, bouncing back from two injury-plagued seasons in 2022 and 2023. Taylor rushed for 1585 yards and a league-best 18 touchdowns in 2025, and added a career-high 46 passes for 387 yards.

Taylor is in the prime of his career and running behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. The Colts’ offense was historically efficient through the first half of the 2025 season, before a torn Achilles tendon to Daniel Jones dashed their playoff hopes. The offense likely won’t be as potent in 2026, but Taylor will still be ripping off huge runs and bouncing off defenders. He’s in a groove.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle Seahawks, WR)

The only thing rarer than a two-time Offensive Player of the Year winner is a back-to-back Offensive Player of the Year winner. The last time that happened was when Rams’ running back Marshall Faulk won the award three years in a row. Those days are past now, and there’s just so much offensive talent in the league that retaining the honor feels close to impossible. But Seahawks’ receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has a shot.

Smith-Njigba was exceptional in 2025, catching 119 passes for a league-leading 1793 yards and 10 touchdowns as the Seahawks romped their way to a Super Bowl. His 35.82% target share led the league, and Smith-Njigba was the Seahawks’ passing game; only Nacua had more total receiving EPA than Smith-Njigba. His production will likely drop in 2026, but Smith-Njigba has proved to be one of the best receivers in the NFL.

Justin Jefferson (Minnesota Vikings, WR)

Another former winner looking for glory, Vikings’ wide receiver Justin Jefferson is looking to bounce back from a 2025 season that wasn’t his best. The All-Pro receiver still eclipsed 1000 receiving yards for the sixth-straight season, but his total receiving yardage of 1048 was the lowest of his career as the Vikings’ offense struggled between multiple quarterback injuries, as well as poor play from 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy.

The Vikings brought in former first overall pick Kyler Murray to compete with McCarthy, and that should help elevate Kevin O’Connell’s offense. That, in turn, should make life easier for Jefferson. Even on a bad offense in 2025, Jefferson still caught 84 passes, but there was a lot of meat left on the bone with 141 targets. Anything close to that sort of volume could produce the second Offensive Player of the Year award for Jefferson.

Derrick Henry (Baltimore Ravens, RB)

Father Time seems to be blissfully unaware of Derrick Henry’s existence. The Ravens’ running back had another predictably strong year in 2025, even as the offense around him fell apart. The Ravens finished with an 8-9 record and missed the playoffs, but Henry did all he could to carry the team, rushing for 1595 yards and 16 touchdowns, averaging over five yards per rush for the second-straight season.

Henry saw an average of 7.84 defenders in the box per rush, per Sūmer Sports, more than any other running back in the NFL. Despite that, he was still an inevitable force. With an improved offensive line and the return of Lamar Jackson—who missed four games in 2025—to full health will give Henry even more of an opportunity to wreak havoc upon the NFL.

DeVonta Smith (Philadelphia Eagles, WR)

A swing for the fences, DeVonta Smith could be in line for a monster season with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2026. The Eagles finally moved on from Smith’s wide receiver counterpart, A.J. Brown, at the start of June, trading the disgruntled receiver to the New England Patriots, leaving Smith to take on the mantle as the top receiver on the depth chart. Smith has had success as the Eagles’ top receiver before, and is often underrated due to the up-and-down nature of the passing game.

However, there are high expectations for what Sean Mannion can do as the team’s offensive coordinator in 2026 and beyond. If he can lift Jalen Hurts and the passing game up, Smith will be one of, if not the, main benefactors. The former first-round pick has the potential to be a top-10 receiver in the NFL at the top of his game; we could finally see that this season.

NFL Defensive Player of the Year Rankings

Myles Garrett – EDGE, LAR
Will Anderson Jr. – EDGE, HOU
Aidan Hutchinson – EDGE, DET
Maxx Crosby – EDGE, LVR
Derek Stingley Jr. – CB, HOU
Nik Bonitto, – EDGE, DEN
Trey Hendrickson – EDGE, BAL
Abdul Carter – EDGE, NYG
Danielle Hunter – EDGE, HOU
Nick Bosa – EDGE, SFO

NFL Defensive Player of the Year Analysis

Myles Garrett (Los Angeles Rams, EDGE)

After nine unbelievably productive seasons with the Browns, where he racked up 125.5 sacks in 134 career games, as well as two Defensive Player of the Year awards and five All-Pros, the Rams made a splash this offseason by trading for Myles Garrett. The move sees the rich get richer, and gives Garrett the best opportunity of his career—by a long distance—to win a Super Bowl.

It also comfortably pushes him to the front of the line to be a three-time Defensive Player of the Year. Garrett joins an already stacked defense that features the likes of Trent McDuffie, Kobie Turner, and Byron Young. All that talent on the defensive line will take some attention away from Garrett, who recorded a record-breaking 23.0 sacks in 2025 in his final season with the Browns.

Will Anderson Jr. (Houston Texans, EDGE)

There aren’t many players having quite the meteoric rise like the Texans’ Will Anderson Jr. The former third overall pick entered the league with high expectations, but has rapidly continued to grow into one of the league’s best defenders. Anderson had the best season of his short career in 2025, generating 93 pressures—the third-most in the NFL—and 12 sacks. On top of that, Anderson had 33 defensive stops, also top 10 in the NFL, per PFF.

Being on an NFL defense full of top talent certainly helps Anderson’s cause, but he’s the star player on the team. Even in the playoffs, Anderson’s star shone brightly. He recorded four sacks and nine pressures in two games as the Texans’ defense kept the team rolling. If Anderson continues to ascend, he’ll be the Defensive Player of the Year in no time.

Aidan Hutchinson (Detroit Lions, EDGE)

Aidan Hutchinson bounced back from an injury-disrupted 2024 season in style. After a fractured leg, five games into the 2024 season, Hutchinson came back in 2025 and immediately made up for lost time with a career-best season. The former number two overall pick led the league with 100 pressures and had a career-high 14.5 sacks on a Lions team that dealt with a few notable injuries.

Hutchinson finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting and will look to improve upon that in 2026. He projects, again, as one of the top pass rushers in the league on a defense that—if healthy—should be an improved unit. Another big year for Hutchinson is coming, and it could end with him being the top defensive player in the NFL.

Maxx Crosby (Las Vegas Raiders, EDGE)

Maxx Crosby has a point to prove in 2026. A failed trade to the Ravens at the start of the offseason was the talk of the NFL, as the Ravens seemingly pulled out due to Crosby’s medicals. The veteran edge rusher underwent surgery in January for a meniscus injury, but is fully anticipated to be ready for the start of the 2026 season. When that happens, Crosby will be looking to prove he has plenty left in the tank.

His pass-rushing production might have dipped in 2025—Crosby generated 53 pressures in 2025, his lowest total since 2020—but he’s arguably the best run defender in the entire league. If the pass-rushing production gets back to where it was, and Crosby puts the league on notice that he’s still an elite defender, he could be in with a shout of his first Defensive Player of the Year award.

Derek Stingley Jr. (Houston Texans, CB)

The NFL has had multiple cornerbacks take home the Defensive Player of the Year award in recent history, with Broncos’ cornerback Pat Surtain mostly recently getting the nod in 2024. Surtain is still the best cornerback in the league, but Texans’ star Derek Stingley Jr. is closing in and could be on the hunt to win the award in 2026.

Stingley allowed just 34 receptions on 65 targets in 2025, per PFF, and snagged another four interceptions, earning First-Team All-Pro honors for the second consecutive season. Stingley will be just 25 years old entering the 2026 season and just stepping into his prime on one of the best defenses in the NFL.

Nik Bonitto (Denver Broncos, EDGE)

Nik Bonitto has had a breakout two-year spell for the Broncos. The former second-round pick had just nine sacks in his first two seasons in the NFL before a 13.5-sack performance in 2024 on one of the best defenses in the league. Bonitto took it to another level in 2025. His 76 pressures were eighth in the NFL, but Bonitto has been one of the best finishers in the league, and he amassed another 14.0 sacks in 2025—fifth most among defenders.

The Broncos’ defense is expected to be one of the best in the league again, with Bonitto as the speedy star off the edge. He’s the one who gives the team a boost up front when they need. A pressure, a sack. It’s Bonitto off the edge. Can he continue to ascend? Maybe, and that could see him earn Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Trey Hendrickson (Baltimore Ravens, EDGE)

On the other side of the Maxx Crosby coin was Trey Hendrickson. The former Bengals’ edge rusher entered the offseason as a free agent after five years and 51 sacks in Cincinnati. Not long after the Crosby trade had been cancelled, the Ravens were signing Hendrickson to a four-year $112 million contract, landing an elite pass rusher in the process.

Hendrickson’s final season with the Bengals was disrupted by hip and core injuries that restricted him to just seven sacks, where he still had four sacks and 23 pressures. However, he’s on track to be ready for the start of the season and will be a central part of a defense looking to improve under first-year head coach Jesse Minter. Hendrickson is the star edge rusher the Ravens have been crying out for in recent years. If his production is anything close to his peak years with the Bengals, and the Ravens’ defense is rolling, he’ll be in the running for Defensive Player of the Year.

Abdul Carter (New York Giants, EDGE)

Abdul Carter was the Giants’ first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The former Penn State defender had apt comparisons to a fellow former Nittany Lion, Micah Parsons, and quietly put together a strong rookie season in 2025. Carter had 66 pressures—11th most among edge rushers—and five sacks in his rookie season. The sack numbers painted the picture as someone with potential but not a major impact guy, but Carter was everywhere for the Giants.

A jump in 2026 will be on the cards for Carter. The Giants traded away Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals, but drafted Arvell Reese with the fifth overall pick to give them another pass-rushing weapon to join Carter, Brian Burns, and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Carter is the best pass-rusher of the quartet and should get Defensive Player of the Year buzz in John Harbaugh’s first season with the team.

Danielle Hunter (Houston Texans, EDGE)

Danielle Hunter, featuring as the third Texan on this list, just reinforces the point of how much talent the Houston Texans have on the defensive side of the ball. Hunter is the veteran of the group, but still one of the NFL’s most dominant defenders. His 83 pressures were the fifth-most in the NFL in 2025, and Hunter added 15 sacks, the third-most in the league. It does help having Will Anderson across from you, but Hunter can wreck an offensive line on his own.

Now 31 years old, Hunter still has so much juice left in his game and has been viewed as one of the more underrated stars in recent history. That’s alarming for someone who has 114.5 sacks in his career. Another big season alongside Anderson on the vaunted Texans’ defensive line could finally see Hunter get the recognition he’s earned.

Nick Bosa (San Francisco 49ers, EDGE)

A torn ACL for Nick Bosa, the second of his career, cut his season short to just three games in 2025, and the 49ers’ defense suffered for it. Bosa has been a destructive force of nature for the 49ers when healthy, and is a former Defensive Player of the Year. Getting back to that point and that level of play is the goal for the former number two overall pick.

And it’s not unattainable, too. Bosa is just 28 years old and started the season strong in 2025 before it ended prematurely, and the 49ers should have enough help on the defensive line where Bosa doesn’t have to carry the load by himself. His star has fallen since his Defensive Player of the Year campaign in 2022, but a real bounceback season in 2026 is within reach.

Photo Credit: AP/Matt Durisko