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A quarter of the 2021 season has ended, and competition for Defensive Player of the Year has begun to heat up. The list has remained mostly the same, though two new faces have emerged in the past week.
Defensive standout TJ Watt has finally found his footing and has emerged as a defensive force for the Steelers, though their record doesn't reflect his skill.
Here's a look at the top five Defensive Player of the Year candidates through week 4.
2021-22 NFL Defensive Player of The Year - Power Rankings after Week 4
Bobby Wagner has finally been replaced by other top DPOTY candidates. His tackle count is still leaps and bounds better than the rest of the league, but he has been quiet other than helping the Seattle Seahawks tackle count.
The new list seems to showcase what many have already predicted. Myles Garrett and TJ Watt will likely be battling one another for final rights to the DPOTY honors. Darkhorse candidates in Trevon Diggs and Javon Hargrave have smashed their way onto the list with their stellar play through four weeks.
#5 Javon Hargrave
24 tackles, 12 solos, 12 assists, 5 sacks and 6 tackles for loss resulting in -35 yards and 1 forced fumble.
Javon Hargrave is a pleasant surprise for the Philadelphia Eagles defensive front. He is currently tied for 2nd place in total sack counts and his tackles are tied for first among defensive tackles.
Having such a stalwart defensive tackle that can play like a quick defensive end can pay dividends for any defense. The Eagles will look to Hargrave to keep his QB hunting ways to keep them relevant in the hunt for the NFC East crown.
#4 TJ Watt
11 tackles, 9 solo, 2 assists, 5 sacks, 3 tackles for loss resulting in -17 yards, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery.
TJ Watt has finally pushed his way into the top five for DPOTY. His five sacks are good for a tie in 2nd place. He is also tied with Chandler Jones with 2 forced fumbles.
TJ Watt is a welcome, skilled player that exists on a Pittsburgh Steelers team that is struggling to find an identity and a way to win. Should the Steelers find themselves at odd ends with an exit from playoff contention, Watt might need to find a way to another team that is headed for the Super Bowl.
#3 Chandler Jones
9 solo tackles, 5 sacks, 5 tackles for loss resulting in -46 yards, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery.
Chandler Jones has dropped a couple of spots on the list, but he remains one of the most disruptive linebackers in all of football.
Jones has been making his case for DPOTY since his monster five-sack day in week one. Although he has been quiet on the sacking front since, he is still finding ways to get to the quarterback. The Arizona Cardinals are currently 4-0 and that is thanks to their tough defensive unit that is spearheaded by Jones.
#2 Trevon Diggs
13 tackles, 8 passes defended, 5 interceptions, 1 TD returned for 86 yards.
Trevon Diggs has come out of nowhere and turned into the #1 lockdown corner through Week 4. The Dallas Cowboys should be ecstatic to hold such a player in their ranks. Diggs is currently in his 2nd year and has already more than doubled his interception count from the 2020 season.
Diggs is leading the league in interceptions. His 5 INTs are half of what the 2021 interception leader had in 2020. Xavien Howard logged 10 interceptions and Diggs already has half of that count through only four weeks of games. Diggs will destroy those numbers if he continues to pull passes down.
#1 Myles Garrett
9 tackles, 11 solo, 8 assists, 6 sacks, 7 tackles for loss resulting in -36 yards.
Myles Garrett is not letting another DPOTY opportunity get away from him. The Cleveland Browns defensive end has been on a mission since Week 1 to help his team win games.
He currently leads the league with 6 sacks and 7 tackles for a loss of yardage. Garrett is playing like a madman on the field for the Browns and their 3-1 record has a lot to do with the fact that he is a monster on the backend of the field for opposing quarterbacks.
