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38.5k voters

The Best NFL Running Backs of All Time

Originally by Ranker Community

Updated July 31, 2020 372.3k votes 38.5k voters 632.5k 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.

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1
10,474
3,930
Jim Brown
Cleveland Browns, Syracuse Orange football
2
12,231
4,634
Walter Payton
Chicago Bears
3
13,958
5,298
Barry Sanders
Oklahoma State Cowboys football, Detroit Lions
4
7,985
4,046
Bo Jackson
Los Angeles Raiders
More Bo Jackson
#111 of 511 The Best Baseball Players NOT in the Hall of Fame#196 of 582 The Greatest Baseball Players Of All Time
5
8,145
4,656
Adrian Peterson
Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints
6
5,486
3,076
Gale Sayers
Chicago Bears, Kansas Jayhawks football
7
7,041
4,047
LaDainian Tomlinson
TCU Horned Frogs football, New York Jets

8
6,295
3,733
Eric Dickerson
Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts
More Eric Dickerson
#27 of 106 The Fastest NFL Players of All Time#44 of 143 Athletes Whose Careers Ended Too Soon
9
6,143
3,526
Marshall Faulk
Indianapolis Colts, St. Louis Rams
More Marshall Faulk
#5 of 15 The Worst NFL Trades Ever Made#3 of 36 The Best NFL Running Backs of the 90s
10
6,643
4,015
Earl Campbell
New Orleans Saints, Houston Oilers
11
8,378
5,419
Emmitt Smith
Florida Gators football, Arizona Cardinals
More Emmitt Smith
#957 of 1,816 The Best Athletes Of All Time#423 of 583 The Greatest Entertainers of All Time
12
4,382
2,640
Marcus Allen
USC Trojans football, Oakland Raiders
13
4,254
2,781
Tony Dorsett
Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Panthers football
14
3,439
2,317
Jim Thorpe
Cleveland Indians, Oorang Indians
More Jim Thorpe
The Life And Legacy Of Jim Thorpe#448 of 753 People We Wish Were Still Alive
15
3,073
2,187
Thurman Thomas
Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
16
2,834
1,869
Frank Gore
San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts
17
3,463
2,470
Herschel Walker
Georgia Bulldogs football team, New Jersey Generals
18
3,480
2,569
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
19
3,730
2,906
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
20
3,607
2,714
Marshawn Lynch
Seattle Seahawks, Buffalo Bills
21
3,084
2,403
Franco Harris
Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers
22
5,226
4,250
O. J. Simpson
Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers
More O. J. Simpson
Facts About OJ Simpson That Will Make Your Skin Crawl#1053 of 2,443 The Most Influential People of All Time
23
2,798
2,177
John Riggins
Washington Redskins, New York Jets
24
2,432
1,897
Larry Csonka
Syracuse Orange football, Miami Dolphins
More Larry Csonka
#7 of 27 The Best NFL Running Backs of the 70s#10 of 47 The Best Super Bowl MVPs of All Time
25
2,637
2,288
Curtis Martin
New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Panthers football