Ranking the top 10 NFL running backs of all-time from Adrian Peterson to Emmitt Smith with Derrick Henry on the rise
Derrick Henry is climbing the list for the most rushing yards in NFL history. But the big, bruising Baltimore Ravens running back, who is a midseason 2024 MVP contender, still has some big names to leap over before he cracks the top 10 of all time. GettyDerrick Henry his moving up the all-time rushing yards list[/caption] That displays how much the NFL has changed in the last decade and how much running backs used to dominate the sport. From Franco Harris and Thurman Thomas to Marcus Allen and Jerome Bettis, the NFL was once guided by fast and powerful runners who were hard to defend and harder to bring down. In 2024, Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey and Henry top the list of the most talented rushers. Below, talkSPORT ranks the best running backs in NFL history. 10. Marshall Faulk Faulk was so good that he won the NFL MVP during a time when Peyton Manning and Tom Brady were in the league. Starting his career with the Indianapolis Colts as a No. 2 overall pick, the San Diego State speedster was dangerous in the open field and a highly reliable receiver. In 1999, Fault caught 87 passes for 1,048 receiving yards and five TDs. The dual-threat back also ran for 1,381 yards in the same season. It marked the first of three consecutive Offensive Player of the Year awards for Faulk, who excelled with the high-scoring St. Louis Rams and earned seven Pro Bowl selections on the way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Career stats: (12,279 rushing yards, 100 rushing touchdowns) GettyMarshall Faulk was a dual-threat running back dangerous in the open field[/caption] 9. Earl Campbell Before Henry was running over NFL defenses, there was Campbell. The Tyler Rose was brutal between the lines, overpowering opponents and becoming must-watch TV as soon as the ball touched his hands. Campbell entered the NFL as a No. 1 overall pick with the Houston Oilers in 1978. His initial four seasons were legendary, as Campbell almost broke 2,000 yards on the ground, won three Offensive Player of the Year awards and was named NFL MVP. Campbell’s career was short but incredibly sweet. While injuries limited his dominance, it’s impossible to forget how powerful Campbell was at his peak. (9,407 yards, 74 TDs) GettyEarl Campbell captured the glory days for fast and powerful NFL running backs[/caption] 8. Adrian Peterson Peterson came nine yards away from setting the NFL single season record for rushing yards during an era when passing quarterbacks were taking over the sport. That’s how impressive AP was, who could run all day and spent the end of his career bouncing around the league because he wanted to keep running more. Peterson rushed for at least 1,298 yards during his initial four seasons, then won NFL MVP in his sixth year. He’s a surefire future Hall of Famer who will always be associated with Minnesota Vikings. Peterson is the last great running back in a league that once was run first, pass second. (14,918 yards, 120 TDs) GettyAdrian Peterson mixed speed with power and precision, and was a relentless runner[/caption] 7. Gale Sayers Sayers had one of the most unique careers in NFL history. Like Campbell, the Kansas Comet was limited by injuries. But there’s a reason that Barry Sanders was often compared to Sayers, who could blow by defenses and leave opponents grasping at air. Sayers totalled 1,374 rushing and receiving yards as a rookie with the Chicago Bears in 1965, adding 20 touchdowns as he leapt into the NFL spotlight. Even more impressive was Sayers’ 17.5 yards-per-reception average, highlighting his elusiveness in the open field. Sayers only played five full seasons but he was an All Pro each year. That’s the definition of dominance in the backfield. (4,956 yards, 39 TDs) GettyGale Sayers was ahead of his time and hinted at what the NFL would become[/caption] 6. LaDainian Tomlinson Tomlinson could win the debate for the most underrated running back of all-time. From 2001-09, the other famous LT was a touchdown machine. The only thing that held back Tomlinson’s legacy was the San Diego Chargers’ shortcomings in the playoffs. The No. 5 overall pick in 2001 out of TCU, Tomlinson scored 28 rushing touchdowns in ’06 and added three more through the air, while totalling 2,323 yards. It was one of the greatest individual statistical seasons in NFL history and showed how much Tomlinson meant to Philip Rivers and San Diego’s offense. (13,684 yards, 145 TDs) GettyLaDainian Tomlinson was one of the early fantasy football stars and a must for owners[/caption] 5. Eric Dickerson At the start of his career, Dickerson was a lock to become the greatest running back in NFL history. Already famous (and controversial) in college at SMU, Dickerson was so talented that he followed John Elway at No. 2 overall in the leg
Derrick Henry is climbing the list for the most rushing yards in NFL history.
But the big, bruising Baltimore Ravens running back, who is a midseason 2024 MVP contender, still has some big names to leap over before he cracks the top 10 of all time.
That displays how much the NFL has changed in the last decade and how much running backs used to dominate the sport.
From Franco Harris and Thurman Thomas to Marcus Allen and Jerome Bettis, the NFL was once guided by fast and powerful runners who were hard to defend and harder to bring down.
In 2024, Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey and Henry top the list of the most talented rushers.
Below, talkSPORT ranks the best running backs in NFL history.
10. Marshall Faulk
Faulk was so good that he won the NFL MVP during a time when Peyton Manning and Tom Brady were in the league.
Starting his career with the Indianapolis Colts as a No. 2 overall pick, the San Diego State speedster was dangerous in the open field and a highly reliable receiver.
In 1999, Fault caught 87 passes for 1,048 receiving yards and five TDs.
The dual-threat back also ran for 1,381 yards in the same season.
It marked the first of three consecutive Offensive Player of the Year awards for Faulk, who excelled with the high-scoring St. Louis Rams and earned seven Pro Bowl selections on the way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Career stats: (12,279 rushing yards, 100 rushing touchdowns)
9. Earl Campbell
Before Henry was running over NFL defenses, there was Campbell.
The Tyler Rose was brutal between the lines, overpowering opponents and becoming must-watch TV as soon as the ball touched his hands.
Campbell entered the NFL as a No. 1 overall pick with the Houston Oilers in 1978.
His initial four seasons were legendary, as Campbell almost broke 2,000 yards on the ground, won three Offensive Player of the Year awards and was named NFL MVP.
Campbell’s career was short but incredibly sweet.
While injuries limited his dominance, it’s impossible to forget how powerful Campbell was at his peak.
(9,407 yards, 74 TDs)
8. Adrian Peterson
Peterson came nine yards away from setting the NFL single season record for rushing yards during an era when passing quarterbacks were taking over the sport.
That’s how impressive AP was, who could run all day and spent the end of his career bouncing around the league because he wanted to keep running more.
Peterson rushed for at least 1,298 yards during his initial four seasons, then won NFL MVP in his sixth year.
He’s a surefire future Hall of Famer who will always be associated with Minnesota Vikings.
Peterson is the last great running back in a league that once was run first, pass second.
(14,918 yards, 120 TDs)
7. Gale Sayers
Sayers had one of the most unique careers in NFL history.
Like Campbell, the Kansas Comet was limited by injuries.
But there’s a reason that Barry Sanders was often compared to Sayers, who could blow by defenses and leave opponents grasping at air.
Sayers totalled 1,374 rushing and receiving yards as a rookie with the Chicago Bears in 1965, adding 20 touchdowns as he leapt into the NFL spotlight.
Even more impressive was Sayers’ 17.5 yards-per-reception average, highlighting his elusiveness in the open field.
Sayers only played five full seasons but he was an All Pro each year.
That’s the definition of dominance in the backfield.
(4,956 yards, 39 TDs)
6. LaDainian Tomlinson
Tomlinson could win the debate for the most underrated running back of all-time.
From 2001-09, the other famous LT was a touchdown machine.
The only thing that held back Tomlinson’s legacy was the San Diego Chargers’ shortcomings in the playoffs.
The No. 5 overall pick in 2001 out of TCU, Tomlinson scored 28 rushing touchdowns in ’06 and added three more through the air, while totalling 2,323 yards.
It was one of the greatest individual statistical seasons in NFL history and showed how much Tomlinson meant to Philip Rivers and San Diego’s offense.
(13,684 yards, 145 TDs)
5. Eric Dickerson
At the start of his career, Dickerson was a lock to become the greatest running back in NFL history.
Already famous (and controversial) in college at SMU, Dickerson was so talented that he followed John Elway at No. 2 overall in the legendary 1983 NFL Draft and preceded future Hall of Famers Bruce Matthews, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino and Darrell Green.
As a rookie, Dickerson finished second in MVP voting with 1,808 rushing yards, 18 TDs and 404 receiving yards.
Then he answered that historic campaign by making real history, recording 2,105 rushing yards and setting an NFL mark that still stands today.
Dickerson trailed off in his final years.
But no one was better in the 1980s.
(13,259 yards, 90 TDs)
4. Jim Brown
Barry Sanders’ dad may have been right.
For many, Jim Brown was the best running back of all-time and it’s easy to understand why.
Brown played nine seasons and made nine Pro Bowls, while earning eight All Pro selections.
He was fast, powerful, intuitive and fearless.
Brown led the NFL in rushing during eight of his nine seasons, averaging 5.2 yards per carry while also recording 9.5 yards per reception.
The Syracuse product and No. 6 overall pick is still one of the most famous players in NFL history almost 60 years after his last game.
Brown was a man among men on the field and helped establish football as America’s new pastime.
(12,312 yards, 106 TDs)
3. Barry Sanders
Sanders was a unicorn in the NFL.
The recent “Bye Bye Barry” documentary on Amazon highlighted Sanders’ unbelievable feats on the field.
But only NFL defenders can fully appreciate what it was like to try and tackle Sanders, who blended Sayers with Brown but was his own truly unique force.
Like several other running backs on this Top 10 list, Sanders was limited by his team and never reached a Super Bowl.
But no one doubts just how brilliant Sanders was from 1989-98.
He rushed for at least 1,115 yards in all 10 of his NFL seasons, won MVP and two Offensive Player of the Year honours, and suddenly walked away after a 1,491-yard campaign.
If Sanders had kept playing, he would have easily topped this list.
(15,269 yards, 99 TDs)
2. Walter Payton
Consistency is everything for a running back and no one was more dependable than Sweetness.
Payton turned Jackson State into the No. 4 overall pick, then became a name that Chicago Bears fans will never forget.
He broke the 1,000-yard mark 10 times and was still making the Pro Bowl in his 12th season.
While Sanders was on pace to eclipse Payton’s career rushing yards record, the Bear’s dependability set him apart in NFL history.
(16,726 yards, 110 TDs)
1. Emmitt Smith
Brown changed the way that running backs were viewed.
Sanders was the modern version of Brown and impossible to contain.
But only one runner leads NFL history in rushing yards and TDs, and that’s the three-time Super Bowl champion who helped the Dallas Cowboys become a dynasty again.
Smith was great in college but wasn’t drafted until No. 17 overall in 1990.
He spent the next 15 seasons outlasting Sanders and surpassing Payton in the record book.
Longevity separated Smith, who almost broke 1,000 yards as a 35-year-old with Arizona, which was nearly a decade after he scored 25 TDs in a single season with the world champion Cowboys.
(18,355 yards, 164 TDs)
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