The Detroit Lions‘ defense may have gotten off to a rocky start, but the star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson has been one of the few bright spots from the past two weeks. The two-time Pro Bowler has already made an impact with sacks, keeping the opposition quarterbacks under pressure.
Hutchinson’s production in the first two weeks of the regular season has paid off, as he now leads the race among defenders to be Defensive Player of the Year after Week 2, per Kalshi Sports.
According to the latest power ranking, the Lions star sits at the top spot with a 21% probability, while he is closely followed by the Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt, who also has a 21% probability. The Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. takes the third spot at 16%, while the San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner sits at fourth at 14%. Moreover, the likes of Abdul Carter, Nick Bosa, Maxx Crosby, Trey Hendrickson, Nik Bonitto, and Greg Rosseau are in the race, claiming top-ten spots.
1. Aidan Hutchinson (21%) 2. TJ Watt (21%) 3. Will Anderson Jr (16%) 4. Fred Warner (14%) 5. Abdul Carter (7%) 6. Nick Bosa (6%) 7. Maxx Crosby (5%) 8. Trey Hendrickson (4%) 9. Nik Bonitto (3%) 10. Greg Rosseau (3%)
The notable omission is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Myles Garrett, who has only played the season opener and is sitting out for the while due to an injury. Moreover, returning Rams star and three-time DPOY winner Aaron Donald just played his first game against the Giants yesterday. Both players are expected to climb the list as the season progresses.
Aidan Hutchinson Picking Up Where He Left Off In 2025
Aidan Hutchinson is the Lions’ defensive captain, carrying his momentum from the previous Pro Bowl season when he secured a career-best 14.5 sacks. Now, heading into this year, the pass rusher already has 3.0 sacks, 8 total tackles, and 6 QB hits to his resume, placing him as a leading contender for the NFL honor.
The Lions defender is also leading in the advanced categories early in the regular season. According to the PFF, he ranks third among the edge rushers in the league with a 90.9 overall grade. Moreover, he is occupying the first spot in pass rush grade with a 91.1 PFF grade.
With some major offseason additions this year, the Lions defensive unit was anticipated to stand out, but the reality on the gridiron has been different. With Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch missing from the secondary and the latest injury to Avonte Maddox, the franchise has conceded 71 points in two games and particularly looked clueless facing an elite offense like the Buffalo Bills in Week 2, led by QB Josh Allen.
Next week, Hutchinson and co. are scheduled to take on the New York Jets, whose head coach is the former Lions defensive coordinator, Aaron Glenn.
Aidan Hutchinson Is Hyped Up To Face The New York Jets
Before taking the opportunity to be the head coach of the Jets, Aaron Glenn spent four seasons with the Detroit Lions as the defensive coordinator, which included managing Aidan Hutchinson for three seasons, who was a first-round pick in the 2022 Draft.
With Glenn as the HC, the Lions and Hutchinson are set to face the Gang Green for the first time, and the 26-year-old is excited about the Sunday face-off with his former coach.
“I got lot of respect for him, a ton. Definitely still trying to kick his a** on Sunday,” said Hutchinson this morning, per Will Burchfield. “That, to me, would be showing respect to AG, because I know he’s a great coach and he’s going to have his guys ready.”
After the tough loss against the Bills, Dan Campbell’s men will be looking to get back in winning ways. Hutchinson and the defense will be instrumental for a turnaround in Week 3.
Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson Emerges as Favorite for Major 2026 NFL Honor After Week 2