From Unlisted to DPOY Favorites: The DeMarcus Lawrence and Calais Campbell Story

From Unlisted to DPOY Favorites: The DeMarcus Lawrence and Calais Campbell Story

Many of you may have already felt the same way, but betting on the defensive player of the year award before the season begins is kind of a fish bet. As we saw with J.J. Watt and just about every major offensive player in the league, key injuries can come at any time. Also, on defense, players can kind of just come out of nowhere and put up monster stats. See Vic Beasley.

Defensive Player of the Year

PlayerTeam11/15 (Ladbrokes)9/7 (Bovada)8/1 (BetOnline)7/24 (Ladbrokes)
DeMarcus LawrenceDAL+275N/AN/AN/A
Calais Campbell JAX+333N/AN/AN/A
Joey BosaLAC+333+900+800+700
Von MillerDEN+550+500+400+1000
Ryan ShazierPIT+1000+2200+2500+2000
Chandler JonesARI+1200N/AN/AN/A
Everson GriffenMIN+1200N/AN/AN/A
Justin HoustonKC+2000+2500+3300+3300
Khalil MackOAK+2500+500+400+350
Lavonte DavidTB+3300N/AN/A+2500
Bobby WagnerSEA+3300+2200+1800+5000
CJ MosleyBAL+3300+5000+5000N/A
Harrison SmithMIN+5000N/A+6600+4000
JJ WattHOUN/A+350+250+450
Aaron DonaldLARN/A+1400+1200+1400
Luke KuechlyCARN/A+1400+1200+2000
Landon CollinsNYGN/A+2200+2000+2000
Kwon AlexanderTBN/A+2200+2000+8000
Jadeveon ClowneyHOUN/A+2200+2500+1200
Danielle HunterMINN/A+2200+2500+4000
Vic BeasleyATLN/A+2500+4000+3300
Marcus PetersKCN/A+3300+3300+8000
Patrick PetersonARIN/A+3300+4000+5000
Myles GarrettCLEN/A+3300+4000+3300
Jamie CollinsCLEN/A+4000+4000+5000
Earl ThomasSEAN/A+5000+4000+5000
Deion JonesATLN/A+5000+5000+4000
Ha Ha Clinton-DixGBN/A+5000+5000+4000
Keanu NealATLN/A+5000+5000N/A
Jason Pierre-PaulNYGN/A+5000+6600+5000
Sean LeeDALN/A+5000+6600+6600
Olivier VernonNYGN/A+5000+6600+5000
Eric BerryKCN/A+6600+8000N/A
Jalen RamseyJAXN/AN/A+6600+5000
Ezekiel AnsahDETN/AN/A+6600+8000
Xavier RhodesMINN/AN/A+6600N/A
Josh NormanWASN/AN/A+8000+8000
Casey HaywardLACN/AN/A+8000N/A
Navorro BowmanSFN/AN/AN/A+5000
Robert QuinnLARN/AN/AN/A+5000
Vontaze BurfictCINN/AN/AN/A+5000
Thomas Davis CARN/AN/AN/A+6600
Clay MatthewsGBN/AN/AN/A+8000
Derrick JohnsonKCN/AN/AN/A+8000
Jamal AdamsNYJN/AN/AN/A+8000
Kam ChancellorSEAN/AN/AN/A+8000
Aqib TalibDENN/AN/AN/A+10000
Cameron Wake MIAN/AN/AN/A+10000
Chris HarrisDENN/AN/AN/A+10000
DeForest BucknerSFN/AN/AN/A+10000
Gerald McCoyTBN/AN/AN/A+10000
Malcolm ButlerNEN/AN/AN/A+10000
Stephon GilmoreNEN/AN/AN/A+10000
Fletcher CoxPHIN/AN/AN/A+12500
Geno AtkinsCINN/AN/AN/A+12500
Mike DanielsGBN/AN/AN/A+12500
Joe HadenCLEN/AN/AN/A+15000
Ndamukong SuhMIAN/AN/AN/A+15000
Haloti NgataDETN/AN/AN/A+20000
Tyrann MathieuARIN/AN/AN/A+2000
Alec OgletreeLARN/AN/AN/A+4000
Anthony BarrMINN/AN/AN/A+4000
Richard ShermanSEAN/AN/AN/A+4000
Benardrick McKinneyHOUN/AN/AN/A+5000
James HarrisonPITN/AN/AN/A+5000
Myles JackJAXN/AN/AN/A+5000

Before the season began, DeMarcus Lawrence and Calais Campbell were both not one of the sixty some-odd names listed at Ladbrokes, BetOnline, or Bovada. Last year, Lawrence played in nine games and recorded just one measly sack. Campbell had left Arizona after nine seasons and was on his way to Sacksonville, or Jacksonville as it was known at the time, for what was supposed to be an uneventful season.

If we look at the sacks leaderboard at ESPN, we basically see where the updated odds come from. Lawrence leads the league with 11.5 sacks and has also forced three and recovered two fumbles. Perhaps the most impressive stat, however, is the yards lost on his sacks. His 126 yards are wayyyy more than anyone else in the league has. He’s essentially averaged 11 yards lost per sack—kind of a big deal.

Joey Bosa is a couple sacks behind the league leader, but is tied with Campbell for second best odds. Given his pedigree and potential, we should expect Bosa to perform better down the stretch than Lawrence and Campbell.

Not seen on the sack leaderboard list (because he doesn’t have any) is Ryan Shazier, listed at 10/1. Though he has no sacks, he’s done a bit of everything else. He has four more passes deflected than any other linebacker with 10. He also has three interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Defensive Rookie of the Year

When it comes to rookies, Marshon Lattimore is stealing the show. Defensive ends and linebackers have been hoarding the hardware in recent years, but Lattimore’s presence on New Orleans has literally made the Saints Super Bowl contenders. Though I don’t have a Pro Football Focus membership, I am able to see that he is the best cornerback in the league this season. Not just among rookies, but everyone.

Player (Overall pick)Team (Position)11/15 (Ladbrokes)9/7 (Ladbrokes)7/31 (Ladbrokes)
Marshon Lattimore (11)New Orleans (CB)-133+1800+2000
Myles Garrett (1)Cleveland (DE)+225+650+400
TJ Watt (30)Pittsburgh (LB)+800+1800+3300
Jamal Adams (6)New York Jets (S)+1200+500+500
Tre'Davious White (27)Buffalo (DE)+1800+3300+4000
Reuben Foster (31)San Francisco (LB)+2000+350+450
Jarrad Davis (21)Detroit (LB)+3300+1400+1600
Josh Jones (61)Green Bay (S)+6600+1800+2000
Eddie Jackson (112)Chicago (S)+6600N/AN/A
Jonathan Allen (17)Washington (DT)N/A+650+900
Solomon Thomas (3)San Francisco (DE)N/A+700+1000
Derek Barnett (14)Philadelphia (DE)N/A+750+1600
Malik Hooker (15)Indianapolis (S)N/A+1100+1200
Haason Reddick (13)Arizona (LB)N/A+1400+1600
Budda Baker (36)Arizona (S)N/A+1400+2500
Jabrill Peppers (25)Cleveland (S)N/A+1800+2500
Charles Harris (22)Miami (DE)N/A+2000+2500
Marlon Humphrey (16)Baltimore (CB)N/A+2000+2500
Takkarist McKinley (26)Atlanta (LB)N/A+2500+3300
Kevin King (33)Green Bay (CB)N/A+3300+3300
Adoree Jackson (18)Tennessee (CB)N/A+3300+4000
Gareon Conley (24)Oakland (CB)N/A+3300+4000
Obi Melifonwu (56)Oakland (S)N/A+3300+4000
Taco Charlton (28)Dallas (DE)N/A+3300+4000

I’m a bit surprised that Myles Garrett is still second on the list considering he’s only played four games. He does have four sacks, too, but there has to be someone else worthy of that spot. How is there not a bigger gap between Lattimore and Garrett?

Though J.J. Watt won’t be winning defensive player of the year, his little bro is keeping the award potential alive in the Watt family. T.J. Watt has put together a nice little stat line, with four sacks, four passes deflected, an interception, and 31 combined tackles.

 

Mark Gallant

I'm the guy who does his job. You must be the other guy.

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