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