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These are the best NFL running backs of the 2000s. Running backs are an integral piece of a football team&#39;s offense. They set the pace and take the biggest hits play after play. When talking about 2000s running backs, you&#39;re talking about some of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-football-players-ever?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">greatest football players</a> 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 <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-nfl-running-backs-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best running backs</a> 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!&nbsp;

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&#39;re a fantasy football player, head over and help decide the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/2019-fantasy-football-running-backs/ranker-nfl" target="_blank">best fantasy football RBs of 2019</a>.

2000s Running Backs |  2000s NFL Running Backs, Ranked

The Best NFL Running Backs of the 2000s

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FREEFORM

LaDainian Tomlinson

LaDainian Tramayne Tomlinson (born June 23, 1979) is a former professional American football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons. He is widely considered one of the greatest running backs of all time.  He played the majority of his career with the San Diego Chargers, who selected him with the fifth overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft. Tomlinson was invited to five Pro Bowls, was an All-Pro six times, and won consecutive rushing titles in 2006 and 2007.  At the time of his retirement, he ranked fifth in career rushing yards (13,684), seventh in all-purpose yards (18,456), second in career rushing touchdowns (145), and third in total touchdowns (162). He is currently an analyst on NFL Network. After being elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014, Tomlinson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August 2017, his first year of eligibility; he is the first Pro Football Hall of Famer whose professional career began in the 21st century.
Tomlinson played college football for Texas Christian University (TCU), earned consensus All-America honors, and won the Doak Walker Award as the best college running back.  He spent nine seasons with the Chargers. During the 2006 NFL season, he set several NFL touchdown scoring records and received numerous honors and awards including the NFL's Most Valuable Player Award and the Associated Press's Offensive Player of the Year Award. In 2010, he signed as a free agent with the New York Jets, playing for two seasons before retiring after 2011.
Tomlinson is often referred to by his initials, L.T. An effective passer on halfback option plays, Tomlinson threw seven touchdown passes and ranks second behind Walter Payton (8) for non-quarterbacks since the AFL–NFL merger in 1970. He was named to the NFL's 2000s All-Decade Team as one of the top running backs of the 2000s.

Adrian Peterson

Adrian Lewis Peterson (born March 21, 1985) is an American football running back for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings seventh overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. Peterson set the NCAA freshman rushing record with 1,925 yards as a true freshman during the 2004 season. As a unanimous first-team All-American, he became the first freshman to finish as the runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting. Peterson finished his college football career as the Sooners' third all-time leading rusher.
Following his first professional season, in which he set an NFL record for most rushing yards in a single game (296), Peterson was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He was then awarded the MVP award for his performance in the Pro Bowl and became only the fifth player in NFL history to have more than 3,000 yards through his first two seasons. In 2010, he became the fifth fastest player to run for 5,000 yards, doing so in his 51st game.
In 2012, Peterson became the sixth fastest player to reach 8,000 rushing yards, ending the season with 2,097 rushing yards, just nine yards shy of breaking Eric Dickerson's single season all-time record. Peterson amassed 2,314 all-purpose yards from scrimmage in 2012, tying Marcus Allen for the eighth-highest total ever. For his efforts, he received the NFL MVP Award and the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award for the 2012 NFL season. During the 2013 season, Peterson became the third fastest player to reach 10,000 rushing yards in NFL history. In 2015, Peterson became the oldest running back to make first-team All-Pro, doing so at 30 years of age.
In September 2014, Peterson was indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury on charges of reckless or negligent injury to a child that occurred earlier that year, and was suspended for the rest of the 2014 season. A free agent coming into the 2017 season, Peterson signed a two-year contract with the New Orleans Saints, but was traded to the Arizona Cardinals just five weeks into the season before being released following the season's end. Peterson then signed with the Washington Redskins in 2018, where he recorded the eighth 1,000-yard season of his career, tied for sixth-most all-time.

Frank Gore

Franklin Delano "Frank" Gore (born May 14, 1983) is an American football running back for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Miami, and was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft, playing with them from 2005 to 2014. He is the 49ers all-time leader in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.
In his NFL career, Gore has had nine 1,000-rushing-yard seasons and five Pro Bowl selections. While achieving some personal success, he struggled with a team that suffered numerous losing seasons until he and the 49ers achieved a 13–3 record in the 2011 season under new head coach Jim Harbaugh. In 2011, the 49ers won the NFC West division and reached the NFC championship game. In 2012, Gore helped lead the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII, although they would lose to the Baltimore Ravens. In 2011, Gore became the 49ers career rushing yards leader and in 2012, he became the 49ers rushing touchdowns leader. In 2014, Gore became the 29th player to have rushed for over 10,000 yards. He also spent three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and a year with his hometown team Miami Dolphins. He is currently the oldest active running back in the league.

Priest Holmes

Priest Anthony Holmes (born October 7, 1973) is a former American football running back who played eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Texas.  He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 1997.
Holmes earned a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV over the New York Giants. After rushing for just over 2,000 yards in four seasons in Baltimore, Holmes experienced breakout success after signing with the Kansas City Chiefs as a free agent in 2001. During his seven-year stint with the Chiefs, Holmes was a three-time All-Pro, three-time Pro Bowl selection and was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2002. Holmes sat out the 2006 season with a neck injury, and after a brief comeback attempt in 2007 retired from the NFL.  Holmes was also inducted into the University of Texas Hall of Honor and the Texas High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.

Shaun Alexander

Shaun Edward Alexander (born August 30, 1977) is a former American football running back who played for the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL).  He played college football for the University of Alabama, and was drafted by the Seahawks 19th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft.  In May 2011, he was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.  Alexander set numerous NFL and Seattle Seahawks' franchise records, and was named the NFL MVP in 2005.  He was also named to the NFL's 2000 All-Decade team.



Clinton Portis

Clinton Earl Portis (born September 1, 1981) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football for the University of Miami.  He was drafted by the Denver Broncos in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft.  Portis was best known for being the starting running back for the Washington Redskins for seven seasons, in which he gained an average of 81.2 yards rushing per game, for which a select panel of celebrities included him as one of the 80 Greatest Redskins.

Shafeeq Rashid

Edgerrin James

Edgerrin Tyree James (; born August 1, 1978) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons.  He played college football for the University of Miami.  He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts fourth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft.  James also played for the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks.  The AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1999, he earned four Pro Bowl selections and four All-Pro selections. James is the Colts' all-time leader in career rushing yards, attempts, and touchdowns. James is thirteenth on the all-time rushing list, and a member of the 10,000 Yards rushing club.

Steven Jackson

Steven Rashad Jackson (born July 22, 1983) is a former American football running back. He played college football for Oregon State and was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the first round with the 24th overall selection in the 2004 NFL Draft. He also played for the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots.
Jackson holds the Rams franchise record for most rushing yards, and is a member of the 10,000 yard rushing club.

Jerome Bettis

Jerome Abram Bettis Sr. (born February 16, 1972), nicknamed The Bus, is a former American football halfback who played for the Los Angeles Rams/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). Bettis is seventh on the list of NFL rushing yards leaders. He retired in 2006 after the Steelers won Super Bowl XL in his native Detroit, Michigan, beating the Seattle Seahawks. Bettis was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.

Curtis Martin

Curtis James Martin Jr. (born May 1, 1973) is a former American football running back who spent the majority of his career with the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). Martin began his professional career with the New England Patriots, who selected him in the third round of the 1995 NFL Draft. As a free agent in 1998, he joined the Jets where he finished his career in 2007 due to a career-ending knee injury in the 2006 NFL season. He retired as the fourth leading rusher in NFL history. He was selected as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012.

Fred Taylor

Frederick Antwon Taylor (born January 27, 1976) is a former college and professional American football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for thirteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s.  He played college football for the University of Florida, and was recognized as an All-American.  Taylor was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the ninth overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, and played for the Jaguars and New England Patriots of the NFL. Taylor is a member of the 10,000 yard rushing club.

Ricky Williams

Errick Lynne "Ricky" Williams Jr. (born May 21, 1977) is an American former football running back who played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and one season in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football for the University of Texas, where he was a two-time All-America and won the Heisman Trophy. Williams was drafted by the New Orleans Saints fifth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft and spent three seasons with the team before he was traded to the Miami Dolphins in 2002. He played for the Dolphins for two seasons, and retired for the first time from football in 2004. Due to his suspension from the NFL in 2006, he played for the Toronto Argonauts that year. Williams re-joined the Dolphins in 2007 and played with them until 2010, and spent the 2011 season with the Baltimore Ravens. He was formerly an assistant football coach at the University of the Incarnate Word and is currently a football analyst for ESPN's Longhorn Network.  In 2015, Williams was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Tiki Barber

Atiim Kiambu "Tiki" Barber (; born April 7, 1975) is an American former football running back who played for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He played college football for the University of Virginia. Barber was drafted by the Giants in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft, and played his entire professional career for them. Barber retired from the NFL at the end of the 2006 NFL postseason as the Giants' all-time rushing and reception leader.  Barber was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
Following his playing career, Barber became a national media presence, notably joining NBC's The Today Show as a correspondent in 2007  and Football Night in America/Sunday Night Football.  He has published multiple books.
He is the identical twin brother of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Ronde Barber.

Brian Westbrook

Brian Collins Westbrook (born September 2, 1979) is a former American football running back who played for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft after playing college football for Villanova University. Following an eight-year career with the Eagles, in which he earned two Pro Bowl selections in 2004 and 2007, Westbrook signed with the San Francisco 49ers, for whom he played in 2010.

Jamal Lewis

Jamal Lewis (born August 26, 1979) is a former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens fifth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tennessee. After spending his first seven seasons with the Ravens, Lewis signed a free agent contract with the Cleveland Browns prior to the 2007 season and retired after the 2009 season.
Lewis is best known for his career as a Raven, where he contributed to the team winning Super Bowl XXXV as a rookie. Lewis is also known for his outstanding 2003 season, where he rushed for 2,066 yards (third-most all-time, behind Eric Dickerson and Adrian Peterson) and was named AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year. That same year, Lewis also rushed for 295 yards in one game, which was the single-game record until Adrian Peterson rushed for 296 yards in 2007 against the San Diego Chargers. Lewis was inducted into the Ravens' Ring of Honor on September 27, 2012.

Bigg Gilly

Emmitt Smith

Emmitt James Smith III (born May 15, 1969) is a former college and professional American football running back who became the National Football League's (NFL) all-time leading rusher during his fifteen seasons in the league during the 1990s and 2000s.
Smith grew up in Pensacola, Florida and became the second-leading rusher in American high school football history while playing for Escambia High School. Smith then attended the University of Florida, where he set numerous school rushing records over a three-year college career with the Florida Gators. After being named a unanimous All-American in 1989, Smith chose to forgo his senior year of eligibility and play professionally. He came back and completed his college coursework, graduating from the University of Florida in 1996.
The Dallas Cowboys selected Smith in the first round of the 1990 NFL draft. During his long professional career, he became the NFL's all-time rushing leader with 18,355 yards, breaking the record formerly held by Walter Payton, and played for three Super Bowl-winning Dallas Cowboys teams. He also holds the record for career rushing touchdowns with 164. Smith is the only running back to ever win a Super Bowl championship, the NFL Most Valuable Player award, the NFL rushing crown, and the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award all in the same season (1993).  He is also one of four running backs to lead the NFL in rushing three or more consecutive seasons, joining Steve Van Buren, Jim Brown and Earl Campbell.  Smith led the league in rushing and won the Super Bowl in the same year three times (1992, 1993, and 1995) when to that point it had never been done.  Smith is also one of only two non-kickers in NFL history to score more than 1,000 career points (the other being Jerry Rice).  Smith was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006.
Smith played thirteen seasons with the Cowboys and two with the Arizona Cardinals. While playing for Dallas, Smith plus quarterback Troy Aikman and wide receiver Michael Irvin were known as "The Triplets," and they led their team to three Super Bowl championships during the 1990s.

Corey Dillon

Corey James Dillon (born October 24, 1974) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals. In addition, he was also a member of the New England Patriots.
Dillon played college football at the University of Washington after attending Garden City Community College and Dixie State College and was selected by the Bengals in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. Despite the overall poor performance of his team, he emerged as a standout player, setting several franchise records and being named to three Pro Bowls during his seven years in Cincinnati. In his last three seasons, Dillon played for the Patriots, where he was named to a fourth Pro Bowl and contributed to New England's victory in Super Bowl XXXIX over the Philadelphia Eagles. He retired with 11,241 rushing yards, which currently ranks 20th among rushing yards leaders in the NFL.

Warrick Dunn

Warrick De'Mon Dunn (born January 5, 1975) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for twelve seasons.  He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft, after playing college football at Florida State.  Dunn was named AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1997 and earned three Pro Bowl selections in his career.  After his playing career, Dunn took a minority stake in the Falcons' ownership group led by Arthur Blank.

Larry Johnson

Willis McGahee

Willis Andrew McGahee III (born October 21, 1981) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Miami, where he was recognized as a consensus All-American, and was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. In addition to his time with the Bills, McGahee played for the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, and Cleveland Browns.
In 2015, McGahee signed on as an athlete for the Miami Surge of the National Pro Grid League.

Eddie George

Edward Nathan George Jr. (born September 24, 1973) is a former professional American football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He played college football for Ohio State University and won the Heisman Trophy in 1995. He was drafted in the first round of the 1996 NFL Draft, and played professionally for the Tennessee Titans (both in Tennessee and in Houston when the franchise was known as the Houston Oilers). George was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011. Post-football, George earned an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. In 2016, he appeared on Broadway in the musical Chicago as the hustling lawyer Billy Flynn.

tristanlockamy

Thomas Jones

Thomas Jones (born August 19, 1978) is an American actor who performs as Thomas Q. Jones, and a former American football running back who played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL).  He played college football for the University of Virginia.  He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals seventh overall in the 2000 NFL Draft, and played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in addition to the New York Jets, Chicago Bears and Kansas City Chiefs.  He retired among the top 25 leading rushers in NFL history (currently 26th, after LeSean McCoy passed him), and a member of the 10,000 yards club.
In 2013, performing under the name Thomas Q. Jones, he began an acting career. Among his credits are 2015's Straight Outta Compton, a starring role in A Violent Man, and a series regular role in the Luke Cage TV series.



Deuce McAllister

Dulymus Jenod "Deuce" McAllister (born December 27, 1978) is a former American football running back who played eight seasons for the New Orleans Saints in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Ole Miss and was drafted by the Saints in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft. McAllister was selected to two Pro Bowls in his career and won Super Bowl XLIV in 2009. In 2010, he lives in Metairie, Louisiana.He is currently the color commentator for the Saints on radio flagship WWL (AM) having taken over from Hokie Gajan in June 2016. McAllister also serves as an athletic consultant for St. Martin's Episcopal School.

Packerbacker

Marion Barber III

Marion Sylvester Barber III (born June 10, 1983) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons.  After playing college football for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, he was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft.  He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2007 during his six-year tenure with the Cowboys. He played for the Chicago Bears in 2011.
He is the older brother of former Houston Texans safety Dominique Barber and Minnesota Golden Gophers linebacker Thomas Barber, and the son of former New York Jets running back Marion Barber, Jr.. He is also a cousin of Peyton Barber.

Willie Parker

William Everett Parker Jr. (born November 11, 1980) is a former American football running back who played for six seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for North Carolina, he was signed by the Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2004.

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 ...

List of the best Randy Quaid movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. Randy Quaid's <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/the-highest-grossing-movies-of-all-time/polkadotking?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">highest grossing movies</a> have received a lot of accolades over the years, earning millions upon millions around the world. The order of these top Randy Quaid movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Randy Quaid movies will be at the top of the list. Randy Quaid has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest Randy Quaid movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining Randy Quaid films to end the squabble once and for all.If you think the best Randy Quaid role isn't at the top, then upvote it so it has the chance to become number one. The greatest Randy Quaid performances didn't necessarily come from the best movies, but in most cases they go hand in hand. Heartbeeps and Fool for Love are a great starting point for your to rank your favorites on this list"This list answers the questions, "What are the best Randy Quaid movies?" and "What are the greatest Randy Quaid roles of all time?"

No Man's Land

Randy Quaid has worked with many famous directors, including big names like <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/movies-and-films-directed-by-ron-howard/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_tag">Ron Howard</a> and <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/movies-directed-by-robert-altman/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_tag">Robert Altman</a>.