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Writer's pictureMatthew Samson

All Time RB Rankings

Here are my all time running back rankings...The criteria includes rushing yards, other statistics, awards, playoff success, dominance in era, and legacy.


Notables:


Marshawn Lynch

- 5x Pro Bowler

- 1x Super Bowl Champion

- 10,379 rushing yards, 84 rushing TD's

- dominate for only 4 year stretch


Roger Craig

- 4x Pro Bowler

- 3x Super Bowl Champion

- 8,189 rushing yards, 73 touchdowns

- changed game for running backs being pass catchers


Corey Dillon

- 4x Pro Bowler

- 1x Super Bowl Champion

- 11,241 rushing yards, 82 touchdowns


Jamal Lewis

- 1x Super Bowl Champion

- 10,607 rushing yards, 58 rushing touchdowns

- 1 of 7 running backs in NFL history to run for 2k yards in a single season


Eddie George

- 4x Pro Bowler

- 10,441 rushing yards, 68 rushing touchdowns

- short career only 9 seasons


Shaun Alexander

- 3x Pro bowler, 2x First Team All Pro

- 2005 League MVP

- 9,453 rushing yards, 100 rushing touchdowns

- short career, only 9 seasons, 8 as starter


25. LeSean McCoy

- 6x Pro Bowler, 2x First Team All Pro

- 10,606 rushing yards, 69 rushing touchdowns

- consistently been a top 5 back in the league until last season


24. Edgerrin James

- 4x Pro Bowler, 2x First Team All Pro

- 12,246 rushing yards, 80 rushing touchdowns

- dominate back on winning Colts teams


23. Frank Gore

- 5x Pro Bowler

- 14,478 rushing yards, 77 rushing touchdowns

- long career, has never been best back in the league


22. Ottis Anderson

- 2x Super Bowl Champion, 1x Super Bowl MVP

- 10,273 rushing yards, 86 rushing touchdowns

- long career, consistently good


21. Larry Csonka

- 5x Pro Bowler, 3x First Team All Pro

- 2x Super Bowl Champion, 1x Super Bowl MVP

- 8,081 rushing yards, 64 rushing touchdowns

- dominant, physical lead back for the undefeated 72 Dolphins


20. Jerome Bettis

- 6x Pro Bowler, 2x First Team All Pro

- 1x Super Bowl Champion

- 13,664 rushing yards, 91 rushing touchdowns


19. Terrell Davis

- 2x Super Bowl Champion, 1x Super Bowl MVP

- 3x Pro Bowler, 3x First Team All Pro

- 7,607 rushing yards, 60 rushing touchdowns

- short but dominant career

- 1 of 7 NFL players to run for 2k yards in a single season


18. John Riggins

- 1x Super Bowl Champion, 1x Super Bowl MVP

- 11,352 rushing yards, 104 rushing touchdowns

- reputation for clutch, historic runs


17. Jim Taylor

- 5x Pro Bowler, 3x First Team All Pro

- 1x Super Bowl Champion

- 8,597 rushing yards, 83 rushing touchdowns

- one of the first hall of fame running backs


16. Gale Sayers

- 4x Pro Bowler, 5x First Team All Pro

- 4,956 rushing yards, 39 rushing touchdowns

- short but extremely dominant career, historic legacy left


15. Thurman Thomas

- 5x Pro Bowler, 2x First Team All Pro

- 1991 League MVP

- 12,074 rushing yards, 65 rushing touchdowns

- made 4 straight Super Bowls but lost them all


14. Marcus Allen

- 1x Super Bowl Champion, 1x Super Bowl MVP

- 6x Pro Bowler, 2x First Team All Pro

- 12,243 rushing yards, 123 rushing touchdowns

- known for one of the greatest runs in Super Bowl history


13. Curtis Martin

- 5x Pro Bowler, 2x First Team All Pro

- 14,101 rushing yards, 90 rushing touchdwons

- dominant running back throughout entire career


12. Tony Dorsett

- 1x Super Bowl Champion

- 4x Pro Bowler

- 12,739 rushing yards, 77 rushing touchdowns

- lead back for historic Cowboys teams of the 70s


11. Franco Harris

- 4x Super Bowl Champion, 1x Super Bowl MVP

- 9x Pro Bowler

- 12,120 rushing yards, 91 rushing touchdowns

- known for the "Immaculate Reception"


10. Marshall Faulk

- 1x Super Bowl Champion

- 7x Pro Bowler, 3x First Team All Pro

- 2000 League MVP

- 12,279 rushing yards, 100 rushing touchdowns

- duel threat back for "greatest show on turf"


9. Earl Campbell

- 5x Pro Bowler, 3x First Team All Pro

- 1979 League MVP

- 9,407 rushing yards, 74 rushing touchdowns

- short but dominant career, big legacy left


8. OJ Simpson

- 5x Pro Bowler, 5x First Team All Pro

- 1973 League MVP

- 11,236 rushing yards, 61 rushing touchdowns

- first player to ever rush for 2k yards in a single season


7. Ladainian Tomlinson

- 5x Pro Bowler, 3x First Team All Pro

- 2006 League MVP

- 13,684 rushing yards, 145 rushing touchdowns

- record for most rushing touchdowns in a single season (28)


6. Adrian Peterson

- 7x Pro Bowler, 4x First Team All Pro

- 2012 League MVP

- 1 of 7 players to ever rush for 2k yards in a single season

- 13,318 rushing yards, 106 rushing touchdowns


5. Eric Dickerson

- 6x Pro Bowler, 5x First Team All Pro

- 13,259 rushing yards, 90 rushing touchdowns

- Record for most rushing yards in a single season (2,105)


4. Emmitt Smith

- 3x Super Bowl Champion, 1x Super Bowl MVP

- 8x Pro Bowler, 4x First Team All Pro

- 18,355 rushing yards, 164 rushing touchdowns

- All time leading rusher in NFL history


3. Barry Sanders

- 10x Pro Bowler, 6x First Team All Pro, 4x Second Team All Pro

- 1997 League MVP

- 15,269 rushing yards, 99 touchdowns

- Made pro bowl and all pro team every season of career

- Believed by many to smash all the records if not for retiring early

- 1 of 7 players to rush for 2k yards in a single season


2. Walter Payton

- 1x Super Bowl Champion

- 9x Pro Bowler, 7x First Team All Pro

- 1977 League MVP

- 16,726 rushing yards, 110 rushing touchdowns

- Was the all time leading rusher upon retirement, historic legacy


1. Jim Brown

- 1x NFL Champion

- 9x Pro Bowler, 8x First Team All Pro

- 3x League MVP

- 12,312 rushing yards, 106 rushing touchdowns

- Accomplished all his accolades in only 9 NFL seasons

- Was the all time leading rusher upon retirement

- The first real great running back, historic legacy

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