Cowboys pass-rusher Micah Parsons taking most action on odds to win 2023 NFL MVP and Defensive Player of Year

The Dallas Cowboys are always one of the most wagered-on teams in the NFL because of their immense popularity, but the current betting love for America's Team at DraftKings is out of control. The Cowboys are taking the most tickets and handle to win Super Bowl 58 with their 2-0 start, and star linebacker Micah Parsons is taking the most action at the book to win not just 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, but also MVP.

Defensive players don't win the MVP these days because the NFL has become so offense-friendly. The last defensive winner was legendary Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor in 1986. The only other defender to win MVP was Vikings defensive lineman Alan Page in 1971. Both would also win Defensive Player of the Year, the lone two to complete the sweep.

Parsons has been the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up in each of his first two seasons and is the leader there at +200 with Pittsburgh's T.J. Watt at +500 after a defensive TD on Monday, and no one else is below +1200. Parsons is No. 1 in tickets and handle and Watt is No. 2 in both.

For a defender to win MVP, he probably has to set the league record in sacks, and no quarterback can have a historic statistical season. Watt tied the NFL record in 2021 with 22.5 sacks to win DPOY but didn't get a vote for MVP; he's currently tied for the 2023 lead with four sacks.

Once +10000 to win MVP, Parsons is down to +5000 – easily the shortest odds of any defensive player (Watt is next at +10000) – as he's No. 1 in MVP handle at the book over Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (+600 favorite) and in tickets over San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey (+5500).

"When I talk about defensive player of the year, I don't look at the subject of the award," Parsons said after Sunday's win. "I look at the subject and say 'I want to be the best player in the NFL.' So whatever comes with that, I don't think just qualify myself as just a defensive player. I think I'm a most valuable player."

Dallas has allowed just 10 points thus far in blowout wins over the Giants and Jets – maybe the New York teams simply aren't very good – and ranks No. 1 in scoring defense (5.0 points per game), total defense (193.0 yards per game) and pass defense (107.0 YPG). Parsons had one sack in the opener and two vs. the Jets. That was his seventh game with multiple sacks over the last two seasons, three more than any other player. Parsons is also the sixth player with at least 10 multi-sack games through three seasons as he sits at 10. The record-holder is Reggie White with 16.

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