Photo Credit: AP Photo/David Dermer
Creed Humphrey Leads Protector of the Year Odds After Strong Start to the Season
NFL Protector of the Year Odds
The Protector of the Year is one of the NFL's newest awards, introduced ahead of the 2025 season, which recognizes the best performing offensive lineman in the league.
Unlike most NFL awards, Protector of the Year is not decided by Associated Press voters. Instead, the winner is selected by a panel of former offensive linemen, including Jason Kelce, Orlando Pace, Will Shields and Andrew Whitworth.
Players are evaluated on pass/run blocking, penalties, impact on their team’s offense, leadership, durability and how they perform against top defenses in the league.
Through the first two weeks of the season, Kansas City Chiefs center Creed Humphrey has risen as the early favourite on online markets, at 26%. Humphrey is already associated with the award as one of six finalists for the Protector of the Year at the end of last year's season.
Humphrey was one of the NFL’s strongest pass protectors last season. According to Next Gen Stats, his 0.3% quick pressure rate was the lowest out of all interior offensive linemen with at least 500 pass blocking snaps.
With Humphrey already having been selected as a finalists before, his position at the top of the 2026 market indicates he might have another opportunity to compete for the award this season.
| Player | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Creed Humphrey | Kansas City Chiefs | 26% |
| Penei Sewell | Detroit Lions | 18% |
| Dion Dawkins | Buffalo Bills | 16% |
| Trent Williams | San Francisco 49ers | 13% |
| Quenton Nelson | Indianapolis Colts | 12% |
| Tristan Wirfs | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 12% |
Source: Kalshi, September 23, 2026 - $153,469 Volume - Settled After Outcome
Creed Humphrey Protector of the Year Odds
Pass protection has been Humphrey's most notable strength this season. Through his first two games, Humphrey played 86 pass blocking snaps without allowing a single pressure, sack or quarterback hit. Against Indianapolis in Week 2 alone, he went 51 pass blocking snaps without giving up a pressure, making it two consecutive clean games to begin the season.
His run blocking has also been fairly decent at his position, as seen by Kenneth Walker's 290 rushing yards across two games. However, he currently trails behind several other IOL players in IOL run stop win rate rankings, like Dalton Risner and Mike Onwenu.
His impact is also reflected in Kansas City’s offense. The Chiefs have opened the season 2-0 while averaging 457.5 yards per game and 32 points per game. The offensive line is only a part of the reason why, but Humphrey’s ability to keep pressure away from the middle of the pocket, while contributing in the running game, is building a strong argument for his case under the award’s team-efficiency criteria.
In addition, his discipline and durability strengthen his case further. Humphrey has played 149 offensive snaps this season without being called for a penalty. A notable stat considering the amount of false start and holding calls that have plagued other teams this year.
Humphrey also has a track record for what the voting panel is looking for. He was one of seven finalist for the award last season, allowing just 8 pressures across 742 pass blocking snaps.
However, Humphrey still has a long way to go, with 15 games to come in the regular season. When it comes to the award’s emphasis on weekly consistency and performance against high quality defensives, he will need to continue proving himself if he realistically aims for this year's award.
Benjamin has written about sports, betting odds and Canada’s iGaming industry since 2020. He closely follows major leagues and competitions, examining how player news, team performance and public expectations shape betting markets. His work also involves monitoring provincial regulations and sportsbook launches, while assessing betting sites based on their licensing, reliability and overall user experience.
