T.J. Watt's DPOY odds dip after quiet performance vs. Colts in Week 5

T.J. Watt is a man chasing history; there's no question about it. Four Weeks into the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers star needs only a half-sack to become the second-fastest player in NFL history to reach the 100-sack mark -- trailing only the legendary Reggie White.

In 2021, Watt tied Michael Strahan for the NFL single-season sack record (22.5) despite missing two games with injuries and exiting four other contests early. There's no doubt he's building a Hall of Fame resume, but earning his second Defensive Player of the Year award will not come easy.

With only seventeen games on the regular-season schedule, every performance matters when pursuing DPOY honors. Unfortunately, Watt did himself no favors in Week 4.

Pittsburgh's entire defense came out flat with a sluggish start against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 4 -- T.J. Watt included. The Steelers dug themselves into a 17-0 hole early and ultimately surrendered 27 points in their first loss of the season.

In addition to a poor team performance on defense, Watt was extremely quiet against Indy. The All-Pro pass rusher recorded just two tackles and was unable to sack the quarterback or bring down the ball carrier for a loss. The Colts found a way to minimize Watt's impact and affected his Defensive Player of the Year odds entering Week 5.

T.J. Watt has tough competition for the DPOY award entering Week 5

Entering October, Watt has +350 odds to win the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year award, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. This is down from +250 before the Colts game in Week 4.

But Watt's quiet performance in Indy isn't the only reason for this. A new challenger has emerged who is cementing himself as one of the best players in football.

Aidan Hutchinson has been spectacular for the Detroit Lions. Though the first four games of the season, Hutchinson racked up 16 tackles, 6.5 sacks, six tackles for a loss, and a forced fumble. This puts him well above Watt's pace for the 2024 season.

What could help Watt is Pittsburgh's total defense, as the Steelers rank higher than the Lions in points per game and yards per game allowed. Still, to stay firmly in the running for DPOY, Watt needs to stay healthy and keep the production coming. A few more dud performances and he could find himself a distant afterthought to Aidan Hutchinson in the Defensive Player of the Year race.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.