NFL Sack Prop Bets: 2022 Sack Leader Picks

Last season, T.J. Watt led the NFL in sacks with an impressive 22.5 sack total, which tied the NFL record set by Michael Strahan in 2001. Fast forward to 2022, and Watt, along with Myles Garrett, are the favorites to take home the NFL sack crown for the 2022 season. 

Watt and Garrett both have +600 odds (14.29% implied probability) at Unibet Sportsbook to be the 2022 NFL sack leader. Both play with a talented supporting cast and solid defensive coaching that helps them find one-on-one matchups with offensive linemen and pursue the quarterback. 

Watt played in just 15 games last season and was still able to tie the NFL sack record, while Garrett played in all 17 games and accumulated 16 total sacks, the third most in the NFL. Watt has a better cast of teammates to help him get more sacks, and he also can play more outside linebacker to get better matchups rushing the opposing quarterbacks. 

Nick Bosa has the third-best odds (+1000) to win the NFL sack crown, with new Las Vegas Raider pass-rusher Chandler Jones (+1300) having the fourth-best odds. Bosa had 15.5 sacks last season in 17 games one year removed from knee surgery, while Jones had just 10.5 sacks for the Cardinals in 15 games. 

Robert Quinn also has +1300 odds to win the NFL’s sack crown in 2022, while Joey Bosa, Nick’s older brother, and Aaron Donald have +1500 odds. All other players have odds of +2000 or longer to win the NFL’s sack crown this upcoming season. 

Let’s dive into the favorites to win the sack crown, who the best value bets are and who I believe will lead the NFL in sacks in 2022. 

Who Will Be the 2022 NFL Sack Leader?

Below are the odds to lead the NFL in sacks in 2022, per Unibet Sportsbook.

Why are T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett Favored to Have the Most NFL Sacks in the 2022 Season?

T.J. Watt was able to tie the NFL record for sacks in just 15 games last season. Last season was the first year the NFL had 17 regular-season games, and if Watt was able to suit up in just one more game, he may have dethroned Michael Strahan for the NFL record for sacks in a season. Watt played on a defensive line that featured immense talent up the middle with Cameron Heyward to help Watt push the pocket. Watt is also listed as a weakside linebacker, and his positional versatility gave his coaches the ability to have him rush the quarterback inside and outside. Watt brings a unique presence to the Steelers defensive front that is unmatched by any defensive player in the NFL outside of Aaron Donald. 

Myles Garrett was the first overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and has gotten better every single season. He finished third in the NFL in sacks last year with 16, which was a career-high for Garrett. The Browns surrounded Garrett with more talent last year, which freed him up for more sack opportunities. At just 26 years old, Garrett’s best days are ahead of him, and he is a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks. 

Both of these players are young studs who have improved each year in the league, and they play with teammates who make their jobs easier. Considering how the Ravens and Bengals both have weak offensive lines, and these two players face off against them twice a season in the AFC North, there’s no reason to believe this duo won’t be among the sack leaders at the end of the 2022 NFL season. 

Best 2022 NFL Sack Leader Bets

Maxx Crosby (+2500)

Maxx Crosby was a fourth-round pick from Eastern Michigan in the 2019 NFL Draft and has quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with rushing the quarterback. After a 10-sack rookie season, Crosby had a seven-sack sophomore year and compiled eight sacks last season. What is more interesting is that Crosby compiled 30 QB hits, which did not lead to sacks, but those QB hits can certainly translate to sacks with the new-look Raiders defensive front. 

The Raiders were one of the worst teams in the league at rushing the passer last season, so to supplement the effort of Crosby, Las Vegas signed Chandler Jones. I believe Jones will demand more double teams, freeing up Crosby to make more plays in the backfield, instead of Crosby freeing up Jones more. 

With more help on the defensive line and a better overall defensive unit, Crosby should have all the tools to build upon his great third season and push for the NFL sack crown. Crosby is an athletic freak with a long wingspan that allows him to corral quarterbacks and bring them to the ground. Crosby has also been durable in his NFL career and has not missed a game. Crosby is a great value bet to win this award. 

Joey Bosa (+1500)

Bosa has been with the Chargers since 2016, and his best sack season was in 2017 when he recorded 12.5 sacks. At that time, Bosa had a running mate on the defensive line with Melvin Ingram, and the duo was impossible to block with such immense talent on both sides of the defensive line. Now, the Chargers have Khalil Mack as Bosa’s running mate, creating an even scarier duo of pass-rushers, so Bosa should be even more unblockable with teams needing to slow down Mack as well.

Bosa recorded 10.5 sacks last season in a hybrid left defensive end/outside linebacker role. Bosa has missed a decent share of games in his career, but when he is on the field, he is as good a pass-rusher as anyone. Also, the Chargers have a hyper-explosive offense that often gives LA the lead in games early on. This should allow Bosa to have more pass-rushing opportunities throughout the season. 

The Chargers defense could not stop a nosebleed last year, but they have worked all offseason to fix their inability to stop anyone, particularly in the run game. Also, with the addition of JC Jackson, the Chargers secondary should be able to cover for longer, giving Bosa more time to take down opposing quarterbacks. 

Best Longshot Bet

Brian Burns +4000

Brian Burns was the 16th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and has steadily improved every season in the league. After a 7.5-sack rookie campaign, Burns put together back-to-back nine-sack seasons and earned himself a Pro Bowl nod last year. 

The Panthers have a ton of problems on defense, but these problems are not directly related to the defensive line. Burns has a very solid supporting cast, with Derrick Brown and Matt Ioannidis pushing the pocket from the A and B gaps, and he has all the pass-rushing tools to be as disruptive as any defensive end in the league. 

One reason why this bet might be shaky is because the Panthers will be playing from behind a lot, meaning they will have to stop the run more than the pass. However, based on scheme, the strength of his teammates and his own skill set, Burns is a good long-shot bet to win the NFL’s sack crown in 2022. 

Understanding 2022 NFL Sack Odds

Are you looking to place a wager on the NFL sack leader? At FTNBets, we have tools, resources, and more to help you all the way from creating a sportsbook account, to understanding odds, to placing your first wager. 

If you take a look at Unibet Sportsbook, you will see the odds for players to win the NFL sack title listed like this:

• T.J. Watt +600
• Myles Garrett +600
• Nick Bosa +1000
• Chandler Jones +1300

The number next to the player’s name represents the odds they are given to win the NFL sack crown. The lower the number, the higher the implied probability is that they will win. For example, If you bet $100 on TJ Watt to win, you would win $600 if he does. If you bet $100 on Nick Bosa to win, you will win $1,000 if he leads the league in sacks. 

Check out the FTNBets Parlay Calculator to see how much you would win if you take a bet at any of the listed odds.