NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Odds: Can Anyone Catch Jalen Carter?

With Week 10 in the books, we are officially past the halfway point of the 2023 NFL season.

From April's draft until now, we've seen several rookies develop into impact players and become difference-makers for their teams.

Let's take a look at the current NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year odds from FanDuel Sportsbook and examine where the front-runners stand with eight weeks left in the season.

Here is a full list of the odds, with a breakdown of four of the top players.

Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles (-210)

When the Philadelphia Eagles selected Jalen Carter with the ninth overall pick in April's draft, the immediate reaction by many was that the defending NFC champions got a steal. Ten games into the season, that reaction appears justified.

Despite missing a game with an ankle injury, Carter has recorded 11 total tackles, 5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles so far this season, per Pro Football Focus (PFF). Among defensive linemen, he ranks seventh in sacks and is tied for first in forced fumbles despite playing just 251 snaps. His 29 total pressures rank ninth, and his 20 quarterback hurries rank eighth.

He still needs to improve against the run, where his PFF grade (68.4) ranks 24th, but he has been an elite pass rusher thus far in his young career. His PFF passing rush grade of 87.9 ranks fifth, and his overall defense grade of 90.6 ranks second to only Dexter Lawrence of the New York Giants. On almost every pass rush metric, Carter is already grading out among the league's best.

If he can remain healthy and continue on his current pace, he could finish the season as a top defensive lineman on an Eagles team that earns the number one seed in the NFC. Philadelphia is currently the favorite to do so (-140), per the NFL Conference odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

As it stands, Carter's position as the front-runner is deserved, but he does have strong competition from one other rookie. Together with Seattle's Devon Witherspoon, the two form a tier that is clearly above the next closest competitor, Detroit's Brian Branch.

Devon Witherspoon, Seattle Seahawks (+175)

The Seattle Seahawks selection of Witherspoon was a bit of a draft day surprise, not because of how highly Witherspoon was selected but because many expected them to go with a front-seven defender instead.

Halfway into the season, making Witherspoon the first cornerback off the board is looking like a slam dunk for the Seahawks. Witherspoon has had an impact in multiple phases of the game. His 38 tackles rank 12th among cornerbacks with at least 350 snaps, per PFF, and his two sacks are tied for first at his position. His PFF run defense grade (76.2) ranks 15th, and his pass rush grade (90.9) ranks 2nd. Despite only having played eight games, Witherspoon's 20 pass rush snaps rank fourth.

In coverage, he has been exceptional, allowing a completion on only 22 of 46 targets faced (47.8%), the third-lowest rate in the league among qualified cornerbacks. His eight pass breakups rank third, and he has yet to allow a completion of greater than 36 yards this season. His PFF coverage grade (77.7) ranks 11th, and his overall defense grade (81.5) ranks 7th.

His play has contributed to a large team-level improvement, with Seattle's team coverage grade up from 63.5 (23rd) last season to 83.8 (8th) this season.

Just eight games into his career, Witherspoon has already shown the ability to be an impactful player. If he keeps up his current level of play, he has a real chance to make up the small gap between himself and Carter to win Defensive Rookie of the Year (DROY).

Brian Branch, Detroit Lions (+2400)

We saw 20 defensive players come off the draft board in April before the Detroit Lions selected Branch with the 45th overall pick. Now he has the third-best odds to win DROY.

Branch is in a mini tier of his own, considerably below Carter and Witherspoon, but above the next tier of Joey Porter Jr. and Will Anderson Jr..

Branch has played the majority of his snaps (75%) at slot corner. He hasn't had the same impact as Witherspoon on his pass rush snaps, with just two pressures, but he has been better in the run game, earning a PFF grade of 79.1 compared to Witherspoon's 76.2.

In coverage, Branch has allowed a high completion percentage on his 30 targets (76.7%) but is allowing an average of only 7.1 yards on those receptions, the lowest total among cornerbacks with at least 325 snaps -- a full 0.4 yards lower the next closest player. He has been credited with 164 total yards allowed this season, with an interception and three pass breakups.

Branch's overall defense grade of 72.0 ranks 17th, and despite not having the same impact as Witherspoon, he has been receiving opportunities to rush the passer. His 15 pass rush snaps rank ninth.

From a team perspective, the Lions grade out below Seattle, but their numbers still mark an impressive improvement from last season.

Branch joined a Detroit secondary that finished last season with PFF's worst coverage grade (48.8) and fourth-worst overall defense grade (60.4). This season, their coverage grade (64.3) ranks 22nd and their overall grade (71.9) ranks 17th. The Lions are also heavily favored to win the NFC North (-700) and are tied with the San Francisco 49ers for the second-best odds to earn the top seed in the NFC (+360).

If Branch can convert his future pass rush opportunities into sacks and turnovers, he could narrow the gap between himself and Witherspoon/Carter.

Will Anderson, Houston Texans (+3400)

The Houston Texans made a huge splash in April's draft when they traded back up to the third overall pick to select Anderson after having just selected C.J. Stroud at second overall. In Stroud and Anderson, the Texans hoped to have cornerstones on both sides of the ball to begin their rebuild.

On offense, that plan has worked to perfection. Stroud is a heavy favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year (-2000) after multiple historic performances, and the Texans are averaging 24.1 points per game, over a touchdown per game than they averaged last season (17.0). On defense, the improvement has been noticeable (-3.4 points per game) but not nearly as drastic.

Anderson himself has been solid, though, recording 20 hurries, 9 hits, and 2 sacks. He ranks 25th in total pressures, but his two sacks rank 76th. Anderson's tackling has been excellent, as his 25 tackles rank sixth and his missed tackle rate (8.8%) ranks 16th. He's just been lacking the impact plays that the front-runners for DROY have made.

Among edge defenders with a top-40 PFF grade, Anderson ranks last in sacks. The edge defenders with top-20 PFF grades have averaged 7.05 sacks, and while Anderon ranks 18th overall with a grade of 78.1, his pair of sacks are well below that mark.

The good news for Anderson is that his team-level outlook is fantastic. After their upset win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10, Houston is firmly in the race for the AFC South and looks set to challenge for a playoff spot. If Anderson can increase his sack and turnover numbers in the second half of the season and further improve the Texans' defense, he could narrow the odds between himself and the current front-runners.

Longshots

• Joey Porter Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers, (+3400)
• Tuli Tuipulotu, Los Angeles Chargers (+5000)
• Byron Young, Los Angeles Rams (+5000)

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.