The Best NFL Running Backs of the 2000s

Updated May 6, 2020 5.7k votes 903 voters 18.1k views32 items

List RulesVote up your favorite NFL Running backs that played in the 2000s

These are the best NFL running backs of the 2000s. Running backs are an integral piece of a football team's offense. They set the pace and take the biggest hits play after play. When talking about 2000s running backs, you're talking about some of the greatest football players to ever plays in the NFL! Take a look at this list of RBs of the 2000s and vote up your favorites! Who do you think are the best running backs of the 2000s?

From Emmitt Smith to Edgerrin James, the top Running Backs of the 2000s are some of the most famous players in NFL history! LaDanian Tomlinson is another player that comes to mind Frank Gore and Tiki Barber have also earned the right to be listed amongst the best 2000s Running Backs ever!

So take a look at this list of the greatest RBs of the 2000s and vote up your favorites! Vote up who you think are the greatest running backs of the 2000s, then if you're a fantasy football player, head over and help decide the best fantasy football RBs of 2019.

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LaDainian Tomlinson
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#1419 of 1,427 The Best Athletes Of All Time#10 of 85 Great Athletes Who Waited Too Long To Retire
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Adrian Peterson
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#16 of 41 The 41 Hottest Men in the NFL#318 of 329 The Most Obnoxious Athletes
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Shaun Alexander
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#15 of 91 The Best Alabama Crimson Tide Football Players of All Time#7 of 25 The Best College Running Backs of the 1990s
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Jerome Bettis
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#102 of 150 Athletes You Didn't Know Were Conservative#7 of 80 The Best NFL Player Nicknames
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Priest Holmes
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#1 of 26 The Best Kansas City Chiefs Running Backs of All Time#3 of 30 The Best Texas Longhorns Running Backs of All Time
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Frank Gore
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#8 of 59 Short NFL Players Who Show Size Doesn't Matter#16 of 53 The Most Likable Active NFL Players
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Clinton Portis
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#24 of 115 The Greatest Washington Redskins of All Time#91 of 115 The Funniest Professional Athletes
8
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Edgerrin James
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#8 of 64 The Best Miami Football Players of All Time#200 of 213 The Best Seattle Seahawks of All Time
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Curtis Martin
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#2 of 106 The Best New York Jets of All Time#2 of 31 The Best Pittsburgh Panthers Running Backs of All Time
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Brian Westbrook
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#9 of 121 The Best Philadelphia Eagles of All Time#1 of 21 The Best Philadelphia Eagles Running Backs of All Time
11
109
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Fred Taylor
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#4 of 85 The Best University of Florida Football Players of All Time#235 of 246 The Best New England Patriots Of All Time
12
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Steven Jackson
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#123 of 176 The Best Atlanta Falcons of All Time#20 of 110 The Best Los Angeles Rams of All Time
13
125
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Tiki Barber
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#2 of 80 Twins in Sports#21 of 26 NFL Players Whose Careers Ended Too Soon

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Ricky Williams
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#11 of 15 The Worst NFL Trades Ever Made#2 of 61 The Best Texas Longhorns Football Players of All Time
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Jamal Lewis
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#221 of 322 People Who Should Be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame#8 of 95 The Best Baltimore Ravens of All Time
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Emmitt Smith
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#16 of 1,323 The Best Football Players Ever#11 of 206 The Best NFL Running Backs of All Time
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Corey Dillon
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#7 of 66 The Best University of Washington Football Players Ever#18 of 36 The Best NFL Running Backs of the 90s
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Warrick Dunn
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#3 of 81 The Best Florida State Football Players of All Time#18 of 47 Athletes With the Coolest Post-Sports Careers
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Larry Johnson
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#15 of 94 The Best Penn State Football Players of All Time#47 of 86 The Best NFL Players From Pennsylvania
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Willis McGahee
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#86 of 106 The Fastest NFL Players of All Time#30 of 55 The Best NFL Players From Florida
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Eddie George
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#1351 of 1,355 The Greatest Minds of All Time#11 of 83 The Best Heisman Trophy Winners of All Time
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Thomas Jones
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Deuce McAllister

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Marion Barber III
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#91 of 139 The Best Dallas Cowboys Of All Time#3 of 30 The Best Minnesota Golden Gophers Running Backs of All Time
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Willie Parker

Priest Holmes

Thomas Jones