Sports

38.7k voters

The Best NFL Running Backs of All Time

Originally by Ranker Community

Updated July 31, 2020 354.8k votes 38.7k voters 634.0k views206 items

List RulesOnly running backs. Rank the players based on their career achievements in the NFL

This list of top NFL running backs of all time is ranked by football fans worldwide. Who are the best NFL running backs of all time? The goal is to determine the greatest running backs to ever play the game.

They are some of the fastest, most athletic sports stars in the game. These top athletes have been wowing fans across the country for years. Some of them currently play in the league, others are long-retired legends whose legacy will be remembered on and off the field for a long time.

The list establishes individual rankings of specific running backs and helps answer the question, "Who is the best NFL running back in the world?" This list includes some legendary famous football players with a lot of rushing yards under their belt. Anyone can vote on the top running backs in history, which means these players are truly fan favorites.

Photo:

...more

1
13,282
4,988
Barry Sanders
Oklahoma State Cowboys football, Detroit Lions
More Barry Sanders
#1 of 119 The Best Detroit Lions of All Time#1 of 22 The Best 80s College Running Backs
2
9,980
3,747
Jim Brown
Cleveland Browns, Syracuse Orange football
More Jim Brown
#295 of 310 The Coolest Actors Ever#11 of 14 Athletes Who Tried To Become Action Stars (And Nailed It)
3
11,627
4,407
Walter Payton
Chicago Bears
More Walter Payton
#1 of 144 The Greatest Chicago Bears of All Time#6 of 56 Athletes Who Won MVP Before Turning 25
4
7,751
4,466
Adrian Peterson
Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints
More Adrian Peterson
#16 of 41 The 41 Hottest Men in the NFL#22 of 24 The Most Hated Players In The NFL Right Now
5
7,578
3,899
Bo Jackson
Los Angeles Raiders
More Bo Jackson
#163 of 322 People Who Should Be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame#109 of 511 The Best Baseball Players NOT in the Hall of Fame
6
6,685
3,859
LaDainian Tomlinson
TCU Horned Frogs football, New York Jets
More LaDainian Tomlinson
#5 of 25 The Best College Running Backs of the 1990s#71 of 85 Great Athletes Who Waited Too Long To Retire
7
5,247
2,988
Gale Sayers
Chicago Bears, Kansas Jayhawks football
More Gale Sayers
Gale Sayers Was One Of The Most Unsung Trailblazers In Sports History#29 of 116 The Greatest Left-Handed Athletes of All Time
8
6,001
3,530
Eric Dickerson
Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts
More Eric Dickerson
#49 of 143 Athletes Whose Careers Ended Too Soon#45 of 176 The Best Atlanta Falcons of All Time
9
5,839
3,386
Marshall Faulk
Indianapolis Colts, St. Louis Rams
More Marshall Faulk
#7 of 13 The Worst Cases of the Madden Curse That'll Make You Believe#9 of 21 The Best Madden NFL Cover Athletes
10
6,358
3,808
Earl Campbell
New Orleans Saints, Houston Oilers
More Earl Campbell
#3 of 53 The Best No. 1 Overall NFL Draft Picks Of All Time, Ranked#47 of 48 The Best University of Tennessee Football Players Ever
11
7,992
5,136
Emmitt Smith
Florida Gators football, Arizona Cardinals
More Emmitt Smith
#856 of 1,427 The Best Athletes Of All Time#15 of 1,323 The Best Football Players Ever
12
4,172
2,517
Marcus Allen
USC Trojans football, Oakland Raiders
More Marcus Allen
#2 of 104 The Best USC Trojans Players of All Time#18 of 173 The Best Oakland Raiders Of All Time
13
4,049
2,683
Tony Dorsett
Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Panthers football
More Tony Dorsett
#8 of 83 The Best Heisman Trophy Winners of All Time#2 of 26 The Best College Running Backs of the 1970s

14
3,283
2,191
Jim Thorpe
Cleveland Indians, Oorang Indians
More Jim Thorpe
The Life And Legacy Of Jim Thorpe#446 of 753 People We Wish Were Still Alive
15
2,937
2,114
Thurman Thomas
Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
More Thurman Thomas
#4 of 17 The Worst Super Bowl Plays of All Time#14 of 14 The 14 Biggest Super Bowl FAILs
16
3,295
2,468
Terrell Davis
Denver Broncos, Georgia Bulldogs football team
More Terrell Davis
#5 of 26 NFL Players Whose Careers Ended Too Soon#15 of 44 The Best University of Georgia Football Players of All Time
17
3,296
2,351
Herschel Walker
Georgia Bulldogs football team, New Jersey Generals
More Herschel Walker
#9 of 15 The Worst NFL Trades Ever Made#13 of 60 Famous Athletes Who Could Have Dominated a Second Sport
18
2,681
1,814
Frank Gore
San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts
More Frank Gore
#9 of 64 The Best Miami Football Players of All Time#16 of 53 The Most Likable Active NFL Players
19
2,959
2,316
Franco Harris
Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers
More Franco Harris
#2 of 94 The Best Penn State Football Players of All Time#69 of 77 The Best Athletes Who Have Used Performance Enhancing Drugs
20
3,417
2,585
Marshawn Lynch
Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills
More Marshawn Lynch
#95 of 329 The Most Obnoxious Athletes#40 of 71 Athletes Who Spark the Most Fan Arguments
21
3,545
2,792
Jerome Bettis
Pittsburgh Steelers, St. Louis Rams
More Jerome Bettis
#102 of 150 Athletes You Didn't Know Were Conservative#7 of 80 The Best NFL Player Nicknames
22
2,674
2,069
John Riggins
Washington Redskins, New York Jets
More John Riggins
#3 of 115 The Greatest Washington Redskins of All Time#10 of 26 The Best New York Jets Running Backs of All Time
23
4,985
4,038
O. J. Simpson
Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers
More O. J. Simpson
Facts About OJ Simpson That Will Make Your Skin Crawl#115 of 904 Celebrity Death Pool 2021

24
2,320
1,811
Larry Csonka
Syracuse Orange football, Miami Dolphins
More Larry Csonka
#8 of 27 The Best NFL Running Backs of the 70s#10 of 47 The Best Super Bowl MVPs of All Time
25
2,506
2,176
Curtis Martin
New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Panthers football
More Curtis Martin
#15 of 86 The Best NFL Players From Pennsylvania#35 of 246 The Best New England Patriots Of All Time