Every week in this space, Chris We seling will roll out the power rankings for one specific NFL position, attribute or award.As we turn our attention to the stretch run, it's time to start thinking about NFL Honors. We kicked off the regular-season awards last week with a look at the Most Valuable Player watch. Now it's time to examine the top candidates for Defensive Player of the Year.On to the list:1. , defensive end: Offensive contributions aside, Watt's numbers (tackles, tackles for lo s, sacks and QB hits) through 11 games surpa s those of last season when he was a . He's currently on pace for 20 sacks, which would give him 25 percent of the 20-sack seasons since the stat became official in 1982.Awarding the DPOY to another player would be tantamount to NBA voters growing bored with Michael Jordan and handing the MVP Junior Bridgeman Jersey award to Karl Malone or Charles Barkley in the 1990s. What's most impre sive about Watt is that he remains the while offenses devote more and more resources to stopping him. We witne sed in Week 12, when the shifted stud left tackle to the right side of the line to a sist beleaguered right tackle . Watt still split the two tackles for one of his two sacks on -- as you can see in the video above."You guys might want to try somebody else at right tackle," a mic'd up Watt yelled, via Showtime's Inside the NFL. " back there. I like Drew (Brees). I don't like hitting him like that."Since joined New Orleans in 2006, the had scored a touchdown in every single game for a decade. That streak was unceremoniously terminated by Watt and his cohorts in Week 12. The may have been in October, but the are coming like a freight train. No defense has matched Houston's level of sheer incapacitation in November, allowing just one touchdown over the last 18 quarters. A whirling buzzsaw entering December, Watt's defense will be fascinating to watch over the next month.2. , cornerback: Norman has not only displaced and as the stickiest cover corner versus top-tier wideouts, he has also defended the run, contributed a pair of pick-sixes and turned in to keep the undefeated. After shutting down on , Norman has an opportunity to raise his profile by doing battle with twice in the next four weeks.3. , defensive back: Mathieu doesn't have one set position. He plays slot cornerback, strong safety, free safety and linebacker, leading the NFL's No. 2 scoring defense in tackles, tackles for lo s and interceptions. , Mathieu combines the best traits of Antoine Winfield and Troy Polamalu as an undersized but fierce cornerback with natural ball-hawking tendencies, rare instincts and the ability to make plays at or behind the line of scrimmage."I think he's the most exciting defensive player in football right now," NFL Media analyst Brian Baldinger said on Monday. "I would say, right now through 12 weeks, if you're going to have a conversation for the Defensive Player of the Year, you have got to put in the conversation. ... If he was in a rodeo, you'd want him to be the calf roper."4. , defensive tackle: It took Atkins two years, but he has finally recaptured the 2012 form that gave Watt a run for his money as the game's premier defender. Downright unblockable at times, the Tasmanian Devil-come-to-life has been a terror against the run as well as the pa s, leading all defensive tackles with 8.0 sacks. Look no further than Atkins' renai sance for the ' turnaround on defense."You ask anybody on (an opposing) offense, any offense that we play," said defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, stumping for Atkins as the DPOY. "The first guy when they turn the tape on Monday morning and they look at the tape to prepare for us, they say, 'Oh s---, ."5. , linebacker: The 2013 Defensive Player of the Year , while boasting . As NFL Media analyst Charley Ca serly , he's the succe sor to Mike Singletary and Ray Lewis as the definitive middle linebacker of his generation. As well as he's played on the league's No. 2 defense, he would be riding sidecar with Norman in the two-hole if not for three games mi sed to concu sion early this season. {"adConfig":{"preroll":{"ciuSzs":"300x60,1x1","descriptionUrl":" ","frequency":2,"iu":"/4595/nfl.com/news/article/around-the-nfl-news","partner":"cant-mi s-plays","players": "luke-kuechly" ,"s1":"news","s2":"j-j-watt-josh-norman-headline-top-dpoy-candidates-0ap3000000592641","s3":"around-the-nfl-news","s4":"article","teams": "CAR" ,"test":"","url":" ","vid":""}},"analytics":{"reportSuite":"cbsnfl","pageDetail":"j-j-watt-josh-norman-headline-top-dpoy-candidates-0ap3000000592641","siteName":"nfl.com","siteSection":"news","siteSubsection":"news"},"autoplay":false,"clubs":false,"playlist": {"audio":false,"description":"Panthers Luke Kuechly picks off quarterback Tony Romo two plays in a row. 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Led by Houston's weekly disruption and Indian summer seasons from fellow linebackers and , the stingy defense has allowed just 13.6 points per game since early October. Any slim chance Houston had for Defensive Player of the Year honors vanished, however, with a Week 12 PCL sprain that will sideline him for at least the next couple of games. Allen Iverson Jersey 7. , defensive tackle: Of all the players on this list, Donald is perhaps the best candidate to challenge Watt's reign over the next half-decade. The 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year has already compiled a in 27 games with the . His combination of strength, leverage and quickne s is nightmare fuel for centers and guards.8. , pa s rusher: Ideally suited for Wade Phillips' blitz-heavy 3-4 scheme, Miller is the dominant force on the NFL's No. 1 defense. Although he and wreaked havoc as a dream edge-rushing team through the end of October, the have slipped since Ware went down with a back injury, allowing an average of 24 points over the past month. Miller is a lead-pipe lock for the 2016 franchise tag barring a long-term agreement by the end of February.9. , defensive tackle: The have held opponents to 20 points or fewer in nine of 11 games, led by run-plugging Joseph, hard-hitting strong safety and new-age linebacker . Joseph had one of the most impre sive performances of the season in Week 9, dominating the ' offensive line and almost single-handedly keeping under 100 yards. He has stiff competition for the All-Pro team in Atkins, Donald, defensive tackle and nose tackle .10. , pa s rusher: Versatile linebackers and were even more impactful in the first two months of the season, only to be fallen by sickne s and injuries, respectively. One of the game's most athletic edge rushers, Jones has picked up the slack, generating 10.5 sacks through 11 games. Those three players headline New England's .Honorable mention:, , , , , , , , Ziggy Ansah, , , , , ,