Who Is The Top 10 Running Backs In Nfl?

The NFL season is just around the corner and fans are already wondering who the top 10 running backs in the league are. Many experts have their own opinion, but there is no definitive answer. However, we can take a look at the stats from last season and make an educated guess.

Emmitt Smith

Emmitt Smith is widely considered one of the best running backs in NFL history. He played his entire 15-year career with the Dallas Cowboys, where he became the franchise’s all-time leading rusher. He also holds the NFL record for most career rushing yards (18,355) and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010.

Walter Payton

Walter Jerry Payton (July 25, 1954 – November 1, 1999) was an American football running back who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) for thirteen seasons. Payton was known around the NFL as “Sweetness”.

A nine-time Pro Bowl selectee, Payton is remembered as a prolific rushing threat and for his receiving, return, and blocking abilities, playing style, and ability to make people miss tackles. He is ranked as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993. He died in 1999 from a rare liver disease.

Barry Sanders

Barry Sanders (born July 16, 1968) is a former American football running back who spent his entire professional career with the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). A ten-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP), Sanders is widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs in NFL history.

In 2004, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, and was also voted to the 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. Sanders played college football for Oklahoma State University, where he earned All-American honors in 1988. He was inducted into both the college and pro football halls of fame in their first year of eligibility.

Eric Dickerson

Eric Dickerson is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons. He played college football for Southern Methodist University and was recognized as an All-American. He was selected in the first round of the 1983 NFL Draft and played professionally for the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons of the NFL. During his NFL career, he rushed for over 13,000 yards. He holds the NFL’s single-season rushing record with 2,105 yards, set in 1984. Dickerson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999.

Adrian Peterson

Adrian Peterson is a NFL running back for the Minnesota Vikings. He was drafted by the Vikings 7th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He has been selected to six Pro Bowls and was the NFL MVP in 2012.

O.J. Simpson

Orenthal James “O.J.” Simpson (born July 9, 1947), nicknamed The Juice, is an American former running back, broadcaster, actor, advertising spokesman, and convicted felon. He played college football at the University of Southern California (USC), where he became the first player to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season. He then played professionally in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the Buffalo Bills from 1970 to 1977.

Jim Brown

1. Jim Brown – Cleveland Browns
2. Emmitt Smith – Dallas Cowboys
3. Walter Payton – Chicago Bears
4. Barry Sanders – Detroit Lions
5. Eric Dickerson – Los Angeles Rams
6. Adrian Peterson – Minnesota Vikings
7. Thurman Thomas – Buffalo Bills
8. Franco Harris – Pittsburgh Steelers
9. O.J. Simpson – Buffalo Bills
10. Marcus Allen – Los Angeles Raiders

Earl Campbell

Earl Campbell was a Heisman Trophy-winning running back who had a Hall of Fame career with the Houston Oilers. He was known for his powerful running style and was considered one of the best running backs of his era.

Marshall Faulk

Marshall Faulk was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and was the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 2000. Faulk is considered one of the greatest running backs of all time, and was ranked as the top player on the NFL’s Top 100 Players list in 2010.

Marcus Allen

Marcus Allen (born on March 26, 1960) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for sixteen seasons. He is considered one of the greatest goal line and short-yard runners in NFL history. Allen was the first player ever to gain more than 10,000 rushing yards and 5,000 receiving yards during his career.[1] He retired as the NFL’s all-time leader in rushing touchdowns with 123. His proving ground was during his years with the Los Angeles Raiders from 1982 to 1992, where he became one of only two players to earn both Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (MVP) and NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors in the same season, which he accomplished during Los Angeles’ 38–9 win over the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII. He was inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame.