The Detroit Lions have one bright spot on defense this season, and that is defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. Through the first two games of the season for Detroit, he has recorded eight tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble. He has also recorded a sack in six straight games, which is a Lions franchise record. Two weeks in, that start has put Aidan Hutchinson in the Defensive Player of the Year race.
Hutchinson is in his fifth season in the NFL. He was a sack machine in 2025 with 14.5 sacks, a career high. He will look to make it seven straight games with a sack on Sunday, Sept. 27, when Detroit hosts the New York Jets at 1 p.m. ET. Despite the Lions defense not being good, is Hutchinson on his way to potentially winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2026?
Kalshi has Lions Aidan Hutchinson Co-Favorite for Defensive Player of the Year
Kalshi Sports posted about the favorites to win the Defensive Player of the Year award through the first two weeks of the season. Their traders give Hutchinson a 21 percent chance to win the award this season. Kalshi also has Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt at a 21 percent chance to win the award.
T.J. Watt Has the Better Two Weeks So Far
Watt has eight tackles, 3.5 sacks, one interception returned for a touchdown, and one pass deflection in two games played this season for Pittsburgh. It could seem as if Watt has the slight edge over Hutchinson despite them having the same odds.
It remains to be seen how the final 15 games of the season will play out for both Watt and Hutchinson. The Steelers defense is not the same without Watt, and the Lions defense is not the same without Hutchinson.
