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<p>Big fan of Buffalo football? Then check out this list of Buffalo Bills running backs.&nbsp;It includes every starting running back from throughout Buffalo Bills history, including current running backs and past ones. Featuring&nbsp;some of the greatest NFL&nbsp;running backs&nbsp;of all time, the best Bills RBs include Thurman Thomas, LeSean McCoy, Devin Singletary, Marshawn Lynch, Fred Jackson, and O. J. Simpson.</p>

<p>Who 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> in Buffalo Bills history? Vote below and help decide the greatest Bills RB of all time!</p>


The 25+ Best Buffalo Bills Running Backs, Ranked

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Thurman Thomas

Thurman Lee Thomas (born May 16, 1966) is a former American football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins. Thomas was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007 and into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008. Thomas was an important part of the Bills "no-huddle offense" that won four consecutive AFC championships.

O. J. Simpson

Orenthal James Simpson (born July 9, 1947), nicknamed "the Juice", is an American former football running back, broadcaster, actor, advertising spokesman, and defendant in what has been described as the "trial of the century".
Simpson attended the University of Southern California (USC), where he played football for the USC Trojans and won the Heisman Trophy in 1968. He played professionally as a running back in the NFL for 11 seasons, primarily with the Buffalo Bills from 1969 to 1977. He also played for the San Francisco 49ers from 1978 to 1979. In 1973, he became the first NFL player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season. He holds the record for the single season yards-per-game average, which stands at 143.1. He was the only player to ever rush for over 2,000 yards in the 14-game regular season NFL format.
Simpson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. After retiring from football, he began new careers in acting and football broadcasting.
In 1994, Simpson was arrested and charged with the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her boyfriend, Ron Goldman. He was acquitted by a jury after a lengthy and internationally publicized trial. The families of the victims subsequently filed a civil suit against him, and in 1997 a civil court awarded a $33.5 million judgment against him for the victims' wrongful deaths. In 2000, he moved to Florida to avoid paying any more of the liability judgment, settling in Miami.
In 2007, Simpson was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada, and charged with the felonies of armed robbery and kidnapping. In 2008, he was convicted and sentenced to 33 years imprisonment, with a minimum of nine years without parole. He served his sentence at the Lovelock Correctional Center near Lovelock, Nevada. Simpson was granted parole on July 20, 2017. He was eligible for release from prison on October 1, 2017, and was released on that date.

Fred Jackson

Frederick George Jackson (born February 20, 1981) is a former American football running back. He played college football at Coe College. After going undrafted in 2003 and playing three seasons in NFL Europe, Jackson spent nine seasons with the Buffalo Bills, becoming their third all-time leading rusher. In the 2015 season, he was the oldest active running back in the NFL.

Cookie Gilchrist

Carlton Chester "Cookie" Gilchrist (May 25, 1935 – January 10, 2011) was an American football player who played professionally in the American Football League (AFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL).

LeSean McCoy

LeSean Kamel "Shady" McCoy (born July 12, 1988) is an American football running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft after playing college football at Pittsburgh. In the 2015 offseason, McCoy was traded to the Bills for linebacker Kiko Alonso. After the trade, he signed a new five-year contract worth $40 million. McCoy made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three years in Buffalo, helping the team snap a 17-year playoff drought, and has become one of a few select NFL running backs to surpass 10,000 career rushing yards. McCoy is a two-time Super Bowl champion (LIV, LV), six time Pro-Bowler, and two-time All Pro (2011, 2013).

Joe Cribbs

Joe Stanier Cribbs (born January 5, 1958) is a retired National Football League and United States Football League football running back.  He played collegiately at Auburn University along with future NFL backs William Andrews and James Brooks. He began his professional career in 1980 with the Buffalo Bills.
After being drafted in the second round of the 1980 NFL Draft, Cribbs went on to start all 16 games of his rookie year with Buffalo, finishing with 1185 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.  His performance earned him consensus UPI AFC Rookie of the Year honors and a spot in the Pro Bowl, the only rookie chosen as a starter that year. In five seasons with the team, split around a detour with the USFL, Cribbs had 13 100-yard games and ran for 1,000 yards in a season three times.
In the spring of 1984, Cribbs left the Bills in a contract dispute and signed on as a member of the Birmingham Stallions of the United States Football League (USFL).
Cribbs was to serve as the president of Team Alabama of the AAFL, which suspended operations shortly before it was slated to play its first games. Almost immediately, Cribbs was named commissioner of the United National Gridiron League, which likewise failed ever to play a game).

Marshawn Lynch

Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft after playing college football at the University of California, Berkeley, where he became the school's second all-time career rusher.After three seasons with the Bills, Lynch was traded to the Seattle Seahawks mid-way through the 2010 season. With Seattle, he made four Pro Bowls and won Super Bowl XLVIII against the Denver Broncos. After initially retiring after the 2015 season, Lynch applied for reinstatement and was traded to the Oakland Raiders in April 2017, with whom he played two seasons before retiring again. Lynch earned the nickname "Beast Mode" for his powerful running style and consistent ability to run over defenders and break tackles. He is considered by some analysts to be among the best running backs of all-time.Lynch has been cast in the third season of the HBO drama Westworld, set to air in 2020.



Kenneth Davis

Kenneth Earl Davis (born April 16, 1962) is a former professional American football running back who played for the NFL's Green Bay Packers from 1986–1988 and the Buffalo Bills from 1989–1994.

Travis Henry

Travis Deion Henry (born October 29, 1978) is a former American football running back who played seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL).  He played college football for the University of Tennessee.  He was drafted by the Bills in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft, and also played for the Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos.  He was a Pro Bowl selection in 2002.

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.

Willis McGahee is an actor who appeared in "Famously Single."

C. J. Spiller

Clifford "C. J." Spiller Jr. (born August 5, 1987) is a former American football running back. He played college football for Clemson and was recognized as a unanimous All-American. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills with the ninth overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. He has also played for the New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets  and Kansas City Chiefs.

Roosevelt Leaks

Roosevelt Leaks Jr. (born January 31, 1953) is a former All-American running back and 2005 inductee to the College Football Hall of Fame.  He was the first black All-American player in University of Texas history and went on to play in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Colts and Buffalo Bills.

Devin Singletary

Devin "Motor" Singletary (born September 3, 1997) is an American football running back for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). As a sophomore in 2017, he led all Division I FBS players with 32 rushing touchdowns, 33 combined rushing and receiving touchdowns, and 198 points scored, and finished with 1,920 rushing yards. He played college football at Florida Atlantic.

Jim Braxton

James Robert Braxton (May 23, 1949 – July 28, 1986) was a professional American football fullback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins.

Antowain Smith

Antowain Drurell Smith (born March 14, 1972) is a former American Football running back in the National Football League who played nine NFL seasons, most notably with the New England Patriots.  At 6'2", 232 pounds, Smith's powerful running style made him an effective runner between the tackles.

Roland Hooks

Roland Hooks (born January 2, 1953 in Brooklyn, New York) was an American football running back in the NFL who played for the Buffalo Bills. He played college football at North Carolina State University.
He scored four touchdowns in a single half on his first four carries against the Cincinnati Bengals on September 9, 1979.Hooks might be best known for a Hail Mary catch he made against the New England Patriots on November 22, 1981.  The 36-yard touchdown pass from Bills quarterback Joe Ferguson as time expired won the game for Buffalo, 20-17. The win proved to be crucial in giving Buffalo the final playoff spot in the AFC in 1981.
Hooks is currently a running back coach at Galena High School in Reno, NV.

Frank Gore

Franklin Gore Sr. (born May 14, 1983) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. A member of the San Francisco 49ers during most of his career, he ranks third in NFL rushing yards. His career was also noted for longevity, a rare trait with his position, and he holds the league record for games played by a running back. Gore played college football at Miami and was selected by the 49ers in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. During his 10 seasons with the 49ers, he became the franchise's rushing yards leader and received five Pro Bowl selections. He also led the National Football Conference (NFC) in rushing yards during the 2006 season and made one Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XLVII. After leaving San Francisco in 2014, Gore played for the Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and New York Jets. He was named to the NFL's 2010s All-Decade Team in 2020.

Darick Holmes

Darick Holmes (born July 1, 1971 in Pasadena, California) is a former American football running back  in the NFL who played for the Buffalo Bills from 1995–1998, for the Green Bay Packers in 1998 and for the Indianapolis Colts in 1999.
Holmes attended John Muir High School in Pasadena and Portland State University.  He was drafted in the seventh round (244th overall pick) of the 1995 NFL Draft by the Bills.  In 1995, the 6'0", 226 pound halfback played in 16 games and had 172 rushing attempts for 698 yards (4.1 yards per carry) and scored four touchdowns.  He also had 24 receptions for 214 yards (8.9 yards per reception).  As a kick returner, Holmes had 39 returns for 799 yards (20.5 yards per return).  In that postseason, he had 15 rushes for 87 yards and a touchdown in the Bills' first playoff game against the Miami Dolphins.  In the next game, against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he had four rushes for 14 yards.  In 1996, he played in 16 games and had 189 rushing attempts for 571 yards (3.0 yards per carry) and had four touchdowns.  He also had 16 receptions for 102 yards (6.4 yards per reception) and had one receiving touchdown.  In the Bills' postseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Holmes had nine rushes for 10 yards and one reception for eleven yards.  In 1997, he played in thirteen games.  He had 22 rushing attempts for 106 yards (4.8 yards per carry) and had two touchdowns.  He had 13 receptions for 106 yards (8.2 yards per reception) as well.  He had 23 kick returns for 430 yards (18.7 yards per return).  In 1998, he played in three games and had two carries for 8 yards (4.0 yards per carry).  He also had one 9 yard reception.  Holmes returned one kick for twenty yards.  Later in 1998, Darick signed with the Packers. For the Packers, he had 93 rushing attempts for 386 yards (4.2 yards per carry) with a touchdown, and he also had 19 receptions for 179 yards (9.4 yards per reception).  In 1999, Holmes became a free agent again and signed with the Colts.  He played in one game and had no action.

Karlos Williams

Karlos Williams is an American football running back. He played college football at Florida State.

Greg Bell

Gregory Leon Bell (born August 1, 1962 in Columbus, Ohio) is a retired American football running back who played in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills, the Los Angeles Rams, and the Los Angeles Raiders, from 1984 to 1990.
Bell played college football at the University of Notre Dame and was drafted by the Bills in the first round of the 1984 NFL Draft. Before going to Notre Dame, he attended South High School in Columbus, Ohio.

Larry Watkins

Lawrence Watkins (born October 5, 1946 in Bessemer, Alabama) is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, and the New York Giants.  He played college football at Alcorn State University.

Zack Moss

Zaccheus Malik Moss (born December 15, 1997) is an American football running back for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Utah and was drafted by the Bills in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Robb Riddick

Robbert Lee Riddick (born April 26, 1957) is a former American football running back in the NFL who played for the Buffalo Bills. He played college football at Millersville University.
Riddick played eight seasons for the Bills; he started eight games and ran for 632 total yards in 1986, and he became a short-yardage specialist in 1988.
Because of his high-jumping ability, Riddick became a short-yardage weapon for the Bills in 1988; he scored twelve touchdowns, all but three of which were from the opponent's 1-yard line; the longest of his rushing touchdowns was five yards.
Riddick's oldest son, Ian Riddick, played defensive back at the University of Pittsburgh. His youngest son, Andre Riddick, played for Ohio State University. His daughter, Gabrielle Riddick, is a high academic achiever and plays the upright bass. His Brother Louis Riddick is a former NFL player and analyst on ESPN. 
Before attending Millersville, Riddick went to Pennridge High School, where he was an outstanding football player. Riddick is from an accomplished family of other Professional Football players. His brother is former NFL safety and current ESPN broadcaster Louis Riddick. His cousins, Will Lewis and Tim Lewis, also played in the NFL and currently hold management positions for professional football teams.

Anthony Dixon

Anthony Rishard "Boobie" Dixon (born September 24, 1987) is an American football running back who is currently with The Spring League. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football for Mississippi State University, where he holds multiple school rushing records.



Mike Gillislee

Michael B. Gillislee Jr. (born November 1, 1990) is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He played college football for the University of Florida. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Gillislee attended DeLand High School in DeLand, Florida. He recorded 900 rushing yards as a sophomore and over 1,200 yards as a junior. As a senior, he rushed for 1,149 yards on 227 carries for a 5.1-yard average. He was considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com and was rated as the seventh-best all-purpose running back prospect in the nation.

Big fan of Buffalo football? Then check out this list of Buffalo Bills running backs.&nbsp;It includes every starting running back from throughout Buffalo ...