The 50 greatest NFL running backs of all time

An all-around contributor for four different franchises over 14 seasons, Matson retired with the second most all-purpose yards in NFL history, though he has been pushed down the list considerably since. He was an All-Pro in each of his first five NFL seasons, beginning in 1952 with the Chicago Cardinals. Matson rushed for more than 5,100 yards during his career but made arguably a bigger mark as a returner. He had eight return touchdowns for his career, all coming in his first six seasons.

Lewis had a relatively brief career with the Ravens and Broncos, finding the field in only nine seasons. Still, he rushed for more than 2,000 yards in 2003 for Baltimore, winning AP Offensive Player of the Year honors, and ranks 24th all time in rushing after accumulating seven seasons of at least 1,000 yards on the ground.

Williams had what many consider a disappointing career after Mike Ditka's Saints gave up a boatload to acquire him in the 1999 NFL Draft. Still, Williams ran for at least 1,000 yards five times, peaking with an All-Pro season in 2002 with Miami when he rushed for 1,853 yards and 16 touchdowns. His career was disrupted due to retirement and off-field "endeavors," but Williams finished his 10-year career with more than 10,000 yards rushing, putting him 30th all time.

Anderson rushed for more than 1,000 yards six times during his career with the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Giants. Most of his production came early in his career with the Cardinals from 1979-1984, making the Pro Bowl in his first two seasons and winning 1979 Offensive Rookie of the Year with 1,605 yards rushing. Later in his career, he became a touchdown machine with the Giants, scoring a combined 25 touchdowns in 1989-1990. Anderson ranks 28th in rushing and 18th in rushing touchdowns.

Moore was an accomplished halfback and flanker for the Baltimore Colts over 12 seasons. He was an offensive force, named an All-Pro five times for his contributions at both positions. Moore only had three seasons with more than 100 rush attempts, but he averaged at least seven yards per carry three times and also scored 16 rushing touchdowns in 1964. Despite his career ending in 1967, Moore's 11,213 yards from scrimmage still rank 76th all time.

Bell is only five seasons into his career but is off to quite a start. He's been named to three Pro Bowls and is already a two-time All-Pro, rushing for more than 1,200 yards three times. He has nearly 8,000 yards from scrimmage for his career already. Entering his age-26 season with the Steelers, Bell has a chance to fly up the all-time rankings lists.

Charles has had five terrific seasons in his career, but injuries have limited his overall numbers. He appeared in four Pro Bowls as a member of the Chiefs and finished with more than 1,900 yards from scrimmage twice. His most impressive accomplishment is his career 5.4 yards per carry average, ranking second all time among running backs behind only Marion Motley.

Holmes rushed for 1,008 yards for the Ravens in 1998, but he didn't get another consistent opportunity until joining the Chiefs three years later. Running behind a terrific offensive line, Holmes sparked one of the best offenses of the 21st century. During his three consecutive All-Pro seasons, he averaged nearly 2,200 yards from scrimmage and scored 61 touchdowns. The pace continued into 2004, but Holmes was unable to stay healthy for a full season again. Despite ranking 55th in rush attempts all time, Holmes is 46th in rushing yards and 15th in rushing scores. 

Walker is beloved in Dallas not only for his production over three-plus seasons, but also for the return the Cowboys received from Minnesota when he was traded in 1989, giving the Cowboys three first-round and three second-round draft picks. The career production certainly didn't warrant that return, and Walker never made a Pro Bowl after leaving Dallas. Still, he rushed for at least 700 yards eight times and still ranks 47th all time with 13,084 yards from scrimmage.

Johnson's career peaked early with 2,006 yards rushing in his second season. He made the Pro Bowl in his first three seasons with Tennessee and had a total of six straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons with the Titans before leaving for the Jets. He's spent the last four years as more of a role player but still has more than 9,600 yards rushing for his career, ranking 35th all time.

Dillon played 10 seasons in the NFL and rushed for more than 1,000 yards in seven of them, including his first six with the Bengals. However, his most productive season came when he joined the Patriots in 2004, rushing for 1,635 yards and 12 touchdowns. Dillon made four Pro Bowls during his career, and he ranks 20th all time in rushing yards and 17th in rushing touchdowns.

A productive back from 1954-1966, Johnson produced a Hall of Fame career with the 49ers, Lions, Steelers and Oilers. He made four Pro Bowls, rushing for more than 1,000 yards twice. Johnson finished his career with more than 6,800 yards rushing in 143 games.

Fantasy football owners remember Alexander's peak fondly. He had a streak of five straight seasons with at least 1,100 yards rushing, culminating with a historic 2005 season in which he finished with 1,880 yards rushing and 27 rushing touchdowns. Alexander wasn't able to stay healthy after that season but still retired with 9,453 yards rushing and 100 rushing touchdowns. He still ranks seventh all time in rushing touchdowns.

Portis had a short but productive career with Denver and Washington. During his nine NFL seasons, Portis rushed for more than 1,200 yards six times and made two Pro Bowl appearances. During his first four seasons, he rushed for over 1,500 yards three times and averaged 5.5 yards per carry in both of his seasons with the Broncos. Even with his brief career, Portis is 32nd in rushing yards and 25th in rushing touchdowns.

George had a relatively brief nine-year career but made his mark with the Oilers/Titans organization. The former Ohio State Buckeye rushed for more than 10,000 yards over nine seasons and had a run of four straight Pro Bowls and seven 1,000-yard rushing seasons for his career. A true workhorse, George averaged 342 carries per season and never missed a start in eight seasons with the Houston/Tennessee franchise. He still ranks 27th all time in rushing.

The speedy Taylor could have been much more productive if not for multiple injuries, but he still had seven 1,000-yard rushing seasons for the Jaguars. He led the NFL with 107.6 rushing yards per game in 2000 and retired after 13 seasons, averaging 4.6 yards per carry, 27th best all time. His 11,695 career rushing yards rank 17th.

Forte recently announced his retirement after a highly productive 10-year career with the Bears and Jets. The versatile running back finished with 14,468 yards from scrimmage, putting him 28th all time. He was a two-time Pro Bowler and rushed for more than 1,000 yards five times.

An undersized and versatile back with the Buccaneers and Falcons from 1997-2008, Dunn made three Pro Bowls and retired with more than 15,000 yards from scrimmage. That puts him 19th all time in that category, and he also ranks 22nd in rushing with nearly 11,000 yards.

Craig had a relatively short but outstanding prime in the late 1980s with the 49ers. He won three Super Bowls with the team and averaged more than 1,000 yards rushing per season in a five-year span from 1985-1989 that also included four Pro Bowls. However, it was Craig's ability as a receiver that made him especially valuable with 566 receptions for more than 4,900 yards over his 11-year career.

It took Barber a while to convince Giants brass that he should be the lead back, but he was terrific when he finally played every down late in his career. Barber had six 1,000-yard rushing seasons, and over his final three seasons from 2004-2006, he made three Pro Bowls while surpassing 2,000 yards from scrimmage in each season. He retired while still seemingly in his prime at age 31 for a career in media but still ranks 26th in rushing yards and 17th in yards per rushing attempt (4.7).

Stuck on terrible St. Louis Rams teams for most of his career, Jackson still had an extremely productive run. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards in eight straight seasons from 2005-2012, making the Pro Bowl in three of those seasons. He was also an underrated receiver, peaking with 90 receptions in 2006 and leading the league with 2,334 yards from scrimmage during that season. After a few years with the Falcons and Patriots, Jackson finished his 12-year career in 2015. He ranks 18th all time in rushing yards and 31st in rushing touchdowns.

Watters isn't a member of the Hall of Fame, but he arguably has the credentials after a productive 10-year career with San Francisco, Philadelphia and Seattle. He rushed for more than 10,000 yards with seven 1,000-yard seasons. Watters was also a major threat out of the backfield with 467 career receptions. The five-time Pro Bowler ranks 23rd all time in rushing yards, 21st in rushing touchdowns and 25th in yards from scrimmage.

Motley is a Hall of Famer who played nine seasons from 1946-1955 at fullback and linebacker. He led the league in rushing twice, and his 5.7 yards per rush are still the best in history among running backs.

Csonka was a two-time Super Bowl champ and huge contributor to the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards three years in a row from 1971-1973 and made five consecutive Pro Bowls. He finished his NFL career as the Comeback Player of the Year with the Dolphins in 1979 after a three-year stint with the Giants.

Following in the footsteps of Jim Brown in Cleveland, Kelly made six consecutive Pro Bowls after Brown's retirement in 1965. Kelly rushed for more than 1,100 yards three times and led the league in rushing twice while also rushing for 42 touchdowns in a three-year span from 1966-1968. His 74 rushing touchdowns still rank 26th all time.

McCoy has been a premier NFL running back since 2010. He's rushed for more than 10,000 yards in nine NFL seasons, making the Pro Bowl in six of the last seven seasons. Also an excellent receiver, the dynamic McCoy has 441 career receptions. Going into his age 30 season, McCoy ranks 29th in rushing yards and 27th in yards per rush attempt (4.6).

A late bloomer in the NFL, Riggins' two best seasons were late in his career with Washington in his mid-30s. He rushed for 1,347 yards and a league-best 24 touchdowns in 1983 and led the league in rushing touchdowns again the following season with 14. Riggins retired with five 1,000-yard rushing seasons and two Pro Bowls, and he still ranks 19th in rushing yards and sixth in rushing touchdowns after playing 14 seasons between the Jets and Washington.

The Bus played 13 seasons with the Rams and Steelers, rushing for more than 1,000 yards eight times. The powerful running back was able to make six Pro Bowls and was one of the game's top short-yardage rushers during his time, finishing with 91 career rushing touchdowns. He ranks seventh all time in rushing yards and 11th in rushing touchdowns, though Bettis also had a pedestrian 3.9 yards per carry over his career.

Van Buren had a brief but dominant career for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1944-1951. During that eight-year span, he was an All-Pro five times, leading the league in rushing and rushing touchdowns four times. He also won two NFL Championships and scored five return touchdowns.

Gore is still going strong heading into his 14th NFL season. Durability has been his calling card, starting 16 games in six straight seasons as he approaches his age 35 season. The five-time Pro Bowler has put together a Hall of Fame résumé with San Francisco and Indianapolis, ranking fifth all time in rushing yards, and recently signed with the Dolphins. He's accumulated an amazing nine 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

Davis is a tremendous story, going from unknown sixth-round draft pick in 1995 to 2,000-yard rusher and Hall of Famer. He took the league by storm in coach Mike Shanahan's offense in 1995, going on a four-year run that included two Super Bowls, three All-Pro honors and 2,008 yards rushing in 1998. Unfortunately, Davis' peak was short, as he failed to stay healthy over the next three seasons before retiring.

Perry played in the NFL for 16 seasons with San Francisco and Baltimore from 1948-1963, putting together a Hall of Fame career. He led the league in rushing three times and retired with 71 rushing touchdowns. Despite playing in a low-scoring era, Perry still ranks 34th all time in rushing yards and 29th in rushing touchdowns, also making the Pro Bowl three times.

An elite running back in Green Bay, Taylor had five consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons. A four-time NFL champ, Taylor led the league in rushing and rushing touchdowns in 1962, winning the MVP. His 83 career rushing touchdowns still rank 16th all time.

Allen only rushed for 1,000 yards three times during his NFL career and sat on the bench for part of his prime between the emergence of Bo Jackson and a feud with Raiders owner Al Davis. He still finished his 16-year career with 17,654 yards from scrimmage, eighth all time, and 123 rushing touchdowns (third). In total, Allen had 11 seasons with at least 1,000 yards from scrimmage.

After trading Marshall Faulk to the Rams, the Colts drafted James fourth overall in 1999. He picked up right where Faulk left off, leading the league in rushing during his first two seasons and topping 2,100 yards from scrimmage in each of those seasons. A huge part of the Indy offenses from 1999-2005, James topped 1,100 rushing yards seven times in his 11-year career that also included stops in Arizona and Seattle. The four-time Pro Bowler still ranks 15th in yards from scrimmage.

Martin was quietly a Hall of Fame running back during his 11-year career between New England and the rival Jets. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards in his first 10 seasons, peaking with a league-leading 1,697 yards rushing and his only All-Pro season in Year 10 with the Jets in 2004. The five-time Pro Bowler ranks fourth in rushing yards and 13th in rushing touchdowns.

One of the faces of the Bills teams that lost four straight Super Bowls, Thomas was a five-time Pro Bowler and 1991 MVP. He had a stretch of eight straight seasons with 1,000 yards rushing and was also an excellent receiver with 4,458 receiving yards for his career. He's still 10th all time with 16,532 yards from scrimmage over his 13-year career.

The Steelers' lead running back during their legendary 1970s run, Harris won four Super Bowls and made the Pro Bowl in each of his first nine seasons. During that period, he rushed for 1,000 yards seven times and led the league with 14 rushing touchdowns in 1976. The Hall of Famer still ranks 15th in rushing yards and 11th in rushing touchdowns following his 13-year career.

Now more infamous for his time off the field, Simpson established his legend as a Heisman Trophy winner at USC and a star with the Buffalo Bills. His career started off slowly on a bad Bills team, but he finally found his footing in 1972, his fourth NFL season. That year started a streak of five straight All-Pro campaigns, leading the league in rushing four times and becoming the first player to rush for 2,000 yards in 1973. Simpson's playing career concluded after 11 seasons between Buffalo and San Francisco, and he still ranks 21st in rushing yards and 17th in yards per attempt.

Dorsett had a prolonged level of elite productivity from the time he was drafted second overall by the Cowboys in 1977 until 1985, rushing for at least 1,100 yards seven times and making four Pro Bowls. While Dorsett never led the league in rushing, he still stands as the ninth-leading rusher all time after his 12-year NFL career in Dallas and Denver.

Campbell's career was brief but spectacular. The first overall pick in the 1978 draft by the Houston Oilers, Campbell led the league in rushing in each of his first three seasons. He peaked with 1,934 yards rushing in his third season but rushed for more than 1,300 yards five times in total. The 1978 MVP broke down just a few years into his career and lasted a total of only eight seasons, finishing his career with the Saints in 1985.

Sayers only played seven seasons, but his impact as a returner in addition to his ability as a running back made him one of the most dominant players in the league over a five-year span from 1965-1969. He was an All-Pro in all five of those seasons, leading the league in rushing twice and scoring eight return touchdowns in his first three seasons. His 5.0 yards per carry for his career still ranks eighth best.

Dickerson's NFL career started like a tidal wave for the L.A. Rams, rushing for at least 1,200 yards in seven consecutive seasons and being named an All-Pro five times, moving from L.A. to Indianapolis in the process. During that period, he led the league in rushing four times and rushed for a record 2,105 yards in his sophomore season of 1984. He still ranks eighth all time in rushing yards but had an early breakdown at age 29 and struggled over his final four seasons in the league.

Peterson is on his last leg of a spectacular NFL career. Over 11 seasons, AP has made seven Pro Bowls and led the league in rushing three times. He won the MVP in 2012 after rushing for 2,097 yards while coming back from knee surgery. His impressive current career marks include 12th all time in rushing yards, ninth in rushing touchdowns and 13th in yards per rush attempt.

LT's career started with eight straight seasons with at least 1,100 yards rushing and 1,500 yards from scrimmage before injuries started to take their toll. During his 11 seasons between the Chargers and Jets, Tomlinson led the league in rushing twice and rushing touchdowns three times. The five-time Pro Bowler won the 2006 MVP with a record-breaking 28 touchdowns, and he's third all time with 162 touchdowns for his career. Tomlinson's 13,684 rushing yards still rank sixth.

The all-time leader in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns, Smith was a tremendous back during his 15 NFL seasons, 13 coming with the Cowboys. He led the league in rushing four times, made eight Pro Bowls and won an MVP on top of his three Super Bowls. However, it should be noted that Smith played behind one of the best offensive lines ever in Dallas and still averaged just 4.2 yards per carry for his career, surpassing 5.0 yards per carry only once.

Faulk never led the NFL in rushing, but he was perhaps the most dynamic running back the league has ever seen. With hands of a wide receiver, Faulk had 6,875 receiving yards in 12 seasons, finishing his career with more than 19,000 yards from scrimmage, fourth all time. A seven-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, he sparked the Rams' turnaround in 1999, winning an improbable Super Bowl. The following season, Faulk won MVP with 2,189 yards from scrimmage and 26 touchdowns. Faulk still ranks seventh all time in touchdowns.

Sanders rushed for 15,269 yards in only 10 NFL seasons, leading the league in rushing four times. Like Jim Brown, he made the Pro Bowl during every season of his NFL career and was also a six-time All-Pro and an MVP Award winner in 1997 when he rushed for more than 2,000 yards. Sanders still ranks third in rushing yards, ninth in rushing touchdowns and eighth in yards per rush attempt. If not for his shocking retirement following the 1998 season at age 31, Sanders very well could be considered the greatest running back ever.

Payton didn't play in an era of offense like we've seen over the last 20 years of the NFL, yet he still ranks second all time in rushing yards, fourth in rushing touchdowns and sixth in rushing yards per game over his 13-year career with the Bears from 1975-1987. His honors include nine Pro Bowls, five All-Pro selections and one MVP Award.

Brown only played nine years, but the Browns running back was arguably the best player in the league in all nine seasons from 1957-1965. He made the Pro Bowl in every season and was an All-Pro eight times, leading the league in rushing yards in each of those All-Pro campaigns. He won three MVPs, and his career 5.2 yards per rush still rank third all time among running backs.