More than deserving of a gold jacket, George holds many Titans/Oilers franchise records, including for career rushing yards (10,441). Johnson led the NFL in receptions and receiving yards on multiple occasions. NFL Network analysts offer up eight candidates. But for my money, I'd rather celebrate a guy who had a huge impact and was the best at his position instead of a guy who was all right for a number of years (looking at you, Bettis). The only running back on this list, Craig played an integral role in the 49ers' success during the 1980s. Thomas Jones was an outstanding running back who had a stellar 12-year NFL career in which he rushed for over 10,000 yards. Anderson was a true stud in every sense of the word. . McGahee is 41st all time on the career rushing list, an incredible achievement considering the significance of his 2003 knee injury. Hall of Fame RB and Chargers Legend LaDainian Tomlinson on How This New 2021 stats: 219carries, 937 rushing yards, 4.3 yards per carry, 18 receptions on 20 targets, 154 receiving yards, 10 total TDs. A backup in 2001, McAllister became the Saints' starting running back after the team traded Ricky Williams in 2002. Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson rushed for a playoff record 248 yards in the Los . George was the league's best workhorse on the rugged Tennessee Titans teams of the late 1990s. Listen below and follow the Pick Six podcast for a daily dose of everything you need to follow pro football. But eight significant injuries -- the last one placing him on injured reserve in 2019 -- resulted in Martin playing in his last regular season game at just 29 years old. Three years later, he helped the Saints win the franchise's only Super Bowl title. He topped 1,500 yards back in 2000, when he finished third in the MVP vote. And really, if Jackson was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame would anybody question it? Five years later, as a member of the Cowboys, McFadden rushed for 1,089 yards despite only starting in 10 games. 10 running backs that barely missed the cut (in alphabetical order): Ottis Anderson Larry Csonka Corey Dillon Priest Holmes Bo Jackson Steven Jackson Fred Taylor Herschel Walker Ricky Watters. Carthon is a total mystery to me, so this gives me some hope that a deal like this could potentially happen. Player Identification: Sweetness. Saints (2011-18); Ravens (2019-20); Texans (2021). Maurice Jones-Drew ranks each team's primary starting running back for the 2022 NFL season. Beyond being dynamos in the rushing attack, the most talented players at the position are also key contributors as receivers and pass blockers. Philadelphia Eagles (2009-2014), Buffalo Bills (2015-18), Kansas City Chiefs (2019), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2020). His cultural impact is through the roof. According to sources, the Philadelphia Eagles have acquired Detroit Lions running back D'Andre Swift and the No. Dupree did give it a go with the Los Angeles Rams, but he just couldn't make it happen. (AP Photo/Al Golub), The H-Bomb was one of the most prolific running backs in pro football history. 2023 Audacy, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. While an injury cut his career short, Sharpe did plenty of damage during his seven-year career. Lynch is 29th all time on the regular-season career rushing list and eighth on the playoff career rushing list. 249 pick in exchange for a 2025 fourth-round pick and the No. With NFL+, stay connected throughout the rest of the NFL offseason with special content from Training Camp, Hall of Fame, and more! Three years earlier, Tomlinson became the first running back to catch 100 passes in a single season (incredibly, Tomlinson was not named to the Pro Bowl that year). In fact, that 1994 season kicked off a seven-season stretch in which Watters had at least 1,500 scrimmage yards per year -- the second-longest streak in NFL history. Dolphins (2005-10); Eagles (2011); Chargers (2012-14); Texans (2014). Taylor ranks 17th all-time in rushing yards (11,695), and every non-active running back above him in that list is already in the Hall. In 2001, Faulk was Top 5 in both rushing (12) and receiving touchdowns (9). All HOFm Positions: QB RB WR TE G T C DT DE ILB OLB DB K P RB HOFm Leaders Bold indicates HOF player See full explanation here Share & Export After missing the entire 2001 season with an injury, Lewis rushed for over 1,000 yards in six out of the next seven seasons. A former fifth-round pick, Thomas was one of the NFL's most productive players during his dozen seasons in Miami. Even though, you know, the USFL was pro football. All Rights Reserved. After rehabbing for the 2003 season, McGahee rushed for 1,128 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2004 while leading the Bills to the precipice of the postseason. During that span, Lynch made four Pro Bowls, one All-Pro, and led the NFL in rushing touchdowns in consecutive seasons. While Chicago just wasn't a good fit, Benson still helped lead theBearsto the Super Bowl in 2006. Swift has some good Kamara-like assets and is now helped by strong blocking and a better complementary passing game. He was a smooth fit in the system with his quick running and did fine as a receiver when needed there. The players listed below are the top 250 HOFm-rated players who played RB starting in 1955 or later for at least 50 career games. 106. Jacksonville Jaguars (1998-2008), New England Patriots (2009-2010). Check out some of the best photos from the 2023 NFL Draft! Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. He ran for a career-high 1,047 yards and 10 touchdowns that included a franchise-record 228 yards against the Rams. There are still a slew of eligible former players who are still waiting for their call to Canton, Ohio. Second, he hasn't build on being a top-flight receiving back at LSU, which what he was expected to do in the Chiefs' pass-first offense. The fourth-year running back was traded today to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for draft picks. He will be vital all-around in lifting Zach Wilson in Year 2, too. One of the league's best running backs during his heyday, Alexander averaged 1,500 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns per season from 2001-05. Nobis' early success earned him a place on the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 1960s. McMichael and Dan Hampton (a 2002 Hall of Fame inductee) formed one of the greatest defensive duos in NFL history, a unit that totaled 41.5 sacks from 1984-88. One of two former Auburn running backs selected in the first round, Williams won Offensive Rookie of the Year after rushing for nearly 1,200 yards. During his only two seasons where he played in at least 14 games, Mathews rushed for over 1,000 yards both times. While he was never a full-time starter, Duckett helped the Falcons clinch two playoff berths over that span that included a run to the NFC title game in 2004. Not one. People talk about Bo Jackson on "Tecmo Super Bowl", but Okoye is no slouch in that game, either. Left and right arrows move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels. The seven-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro has 120 career rushing TDs to his name, and the 36-year-old (turns 37 in March) is determined to keep climbing the stat sheet. McKinney's Bryan Jackson, rated the second-best running back in D-FW Unlike most induction classes, there was not a single member of this year's class that got in on the first ballot. He needs a jolt in the passing game with more durability in the running game to re-establish himself as a lead, stat. Cook just needs to come through with full health for his Age-27 season. A year after the merge, Taylor led the NFL in receiving yards while earning All-Pro honors. 2021 stats: 119 carries, 517 rushing yards, 4.3 yards per carry, 19 receptions on 23 targets, 129 receiving yards, 6 total TDs. Najee Harriswas quite pleased upon being selected by the Steelers in this year's NFL Draft. (National Football League), Craig was a huge part of the San Francisco 49ers' success during the 1980s. 2021 stats: 171 carries, 799 rushing yards, 4.7 yards per carry, 52 receptions on 65 targets, 391 receiving yards, 10 total TDs. Dallas Cowboys star running back Ezekiel Elliott has stated that his goal is to rush for 10,000 yards and collect a spot in the Hall of Fame. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? After a somewhat slow start, Ingram has put together an impressive pro career. Peterson was a three-time league rushing champion with Minnesota, including in his 2012 MVP season when he rushed for 2,097 yards, and helped the team to four playoff appearances. He made the Pro Bowl in 2011 after rushing for 1,091 yards and catching 50 passes for 455 yards. Faulk leads the bunch with 767 receptions, putting him at No. A three-time Pro Bowler, Ingram enjoyed considerable success in New Orleans before rushing for 1,018 yards and 10 touchdowns for theRavensin 2019. In 1992, Brett Favre's first season as the Packers' starting quarterback, Sharpe led the NFL in receptions (108), yards (1,461) and touchdowns (13). 2020 stats: 134carries, 805 rushing yards, 6.0 yards per carry, 18 receptions on 24 targets, 120 receiving yards, 9 total TDs. Of course, this list will only look at those eligible for the Hall of Fame (so Shaun Alexander, who should get in, is not included). If his early years weren't languished in the football graveyard of St. Louis, he would no doubt be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Also included is a handful of honorable mentions, as well as statistics from every 1,000-yard. Multiple concussions resulted in Best appearing in just 22 NFL games. He was a key contributor to a powerful Colts team that won back-to-back NFL titles to close out the decade of the 1950s. He still can produce well, but the Commanders seem to be committed to more of a situational committee approach to keep him fresh vs. putting more on him as a workhorse. Please see our Contributors and Sources page for data source details. Swift, like Chubb and others, keeps the pipeline strong for Georgia running backs in the NFL. Dobbins also saw his entire 2021 season wiped out by a torn ACL ahead of what felt like a potential big Year 2. His relentless work ethic -- both physically and in the film room -- allowed him to be one of the best of his era. That doesn't get you in the Hall of Fame. But, a bronze Canton bust is far from a certainty, so let's look at the best backs not in the Hall. Ask Your Smart Speaker to Play C B S Sports Radio. Smith's extreme competitiveness more than made up for his 5-foot-9, 195-pound frame. A seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Johnson is 11th all-time in receptions and receiving yards. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. He won Offensive Player of the Year as a rookie in 1996, and then made four straight Pro Bowls. Now he's still in recovery mode in a much more crowded backfield and his receiving aspect is set to be curbed. With that in mind, we decided to rank each running back that was selected in the first round between 2000-20. One of the greatest special teams players in NFL history, Tasker earned seven Pro Bowl nods from 1987-95. In 1985, he became the first running back in NFL history to top 1,000 yards in both receiving and rushing. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. He can be an older Dillon to Williams' younger Jones. While injuries ultimately cut his career short, Perry did help the Bengals win their first AFC North title in 2005. He averaged just 3.1 yards per carry in 29 games with theColts. During that span, Tasker helped the Bills become the first franchise to appear in four consecutive Super Bowls. Top speed? Who is the best NFL running back in history? - NBC Sports Bay Area Although Elliott is still the lead in the Cowboys' eyes, it's become more of a 1-2 punch with the latter helping the former stay effective with less mid-career wear. Pro Football Reference Hall of Fame Monitor, Frequently Asked Questions about the NFL and Football, Pro-Football-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREE. Which player earns the No. Maurice Jones-Drew has one thought about the Cowboys' usage of Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard in Zeke's return: Keep it even-steven! And while the running back position may no longer be king of the hill, several teams this century have benefited by selecting a running back in the first round. A seven-time Pro Bowler and member of the NFL's All-2000s Team, Holt played an integral role on theRams' 1999 championship team. Jonathan Taylor, Colts (5-10, 226 pounds) Taylor has parlayed his prolific play at Wisconsin into the complete durable package in the NFL. The production and potential says to meet those outcomes somewhere in the middle, with lean toward the positive. Bills (2007-10); Seahawks (2010-15, 2019); Raiders (2017-18). Green attempted a comeback in 2008 but was never signed to a contract. Brooks excelled at running, receiving and kickoff returns. He was instrumental in helping the Pats win their third Super Bowl in four seasons. Dillon was one of the best of his era and checks most of the boxes, but it'll likely be a waiting game for him because guys who become eligible in the coming years will get in before him. Ranking the NFL's best running backs for the 2022 season from 1-30, Bills look Super Bowl-serious at top; 49ers, Broncos, Eagles on the rise. Chiefs (2003-2009); Bengals (2009); Washington (2010); Miami (2011). Being available allowed Watters to put up these kind of numbers year over year, and he should be rewarded for it. Tre's uncle is legendary Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson. A Pro Bowler each season from 2003-05, Alexander won league MVP in 2005 after leading the league in rushing yards (1,880) and rushing touchdowns (27).
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