5 Best Running Backs in Rams History

Yet another member of the “what could have been?” club, it always felt like Gurley was running (pun not intended) on borrowed time due to knee problems.

He nonetheless rushed for over 5,400 yards and 58 touchdowns during his five Rams seasons, earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and two first-team All-Pro nods.

However, the Rams released him in March 2020, and he was out of the league by 2021. He played his final game for the Falcons at only 26 years old despite being one of the game's most dynamic talents for a half-decade.

4. Lawrence McCutcheon (1972-1979)

A 1972 third–round pick, McCutcheon rattled off four 1,000-yard seasons during a five-year stretch. He still ranks fourth in rushing yards in team history, though his 23 touchdowns are only 15th-most.

However, perhaps McCutcheon’s most iconic moment came when he threw a touchdown to Ron Smith in Super Bowl XIV.

McCutcheon was a steady starter who, unlike Gurley, didn’t have a career derailed by health.

3. Steven Jackson (2004-2012)

Jackson’s 10,138 rushing yards are nearly 3,000 more than the second-place Dickerson, and his 56 touchdowns are tied for the second-most. So why didn’t "S-Jax" earn the top spot, especially considering that neither he nor Dickerson won a Super Bowl?

As consistent as Jackson was during his career, he was simply a tier below Dickerson and Faulk. Granted, both are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, so that’s admittedly slightly unfair toward Jackson.

He’s nonetheless one of the most prolific post-Greatest Show on Turf players, and his bruising running style made him a bright spot during some lean Rams seasons.

2. Eric Dickerson (1983-1987)

Dickerson vs. Faulk is a debate that can go either way, and the former’s statistics are absolutely outrageous.

The No. 2 pick in 1983, Dickerson averaged 1,742 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in his first four seasons. His 2,105 rushing yards in 1984 remain a league record, even as we’ve seen the season expand to 17 games.

Had the Rams not traded Dickerson in 1987 amid a lingering contract dispute, he’d have arguably finished as the greatest offensive player in franchise history. Still, he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1999.

And while there’s a strong case to put Dickerson over Faulk, that’s not the route we opted to take here. 

1. Marshall Faulk (1999-2005)

With respect to Kurt Warner, Torry Holt, and Isaac Bruce, the Rams would not have gone far without Faulk in the backfield.

He won three consecutive Offensive Player of the Year awards from 1999 to 2001, winning the league MVP award in 2000 with nearly 2,200 yards and 23 touchdowns from scrimmage.

Not only did Faulk dominate on the ground, but his versatility allowed him to record four straight 80-catch seasons.

The Pro Football Hall of Famer even became only the second player in league history to rack up 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season, capping it off with a Super Bowl ring in 1999.

More Rams Player Rankings

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• 5 Best Wide Receivers in Rams History