Top 5 NFL Running Backs of All - Time

[millerforrest]

1) Jim Brown ( 2,359 rushes for 12,312 yards, 106 tds and an amazing 5.2 yard per rush average. Added 262 receptions for 20 touchdowns.) And he retired at the ripe old age of 29 to pursue an acting career.

2) Barry Sanders (He ran 3,062 times for 15,269 yards.99 tds and a 5.0 average. He added 352 catches for 2,921 yards and 10 tds. ) Barry sanders & jim brown are ony rb's to average over 5.0 yards per carry & 100 yards per game played.

3) Walter Payton (3,838 rushes for 16,726 yards, 110 tds and a 4.4 average per carry. He added 492 receptions for 4,538 yards and 15 TDs.)

4) Emmitt Smith (18.355 yards on 4,409 carries, 164 tds and a 4.2 average. He added 515 catches for 3,224 yards and 11 tds.)

5) Earl Campbell (2,187 attempts for 9,407 yards, 74 tds and a 4.3 average. He added 121 catches for 806 yards with no tds.)

 

[herbicide]

This list I agree with. And I am a HUGE Barry Sanders fan. He is the reason I am a Lions fan (let me find my paper sack...)

 

[timappelgate]

Dickerson?

 

[Stormin]

1) Jim Brown ( 2,359 rushes for 12,312 yards, 106 tds and an amazing 5.2 yard per rush average. Added 262 receptions for 20 touchdowns.) And he retired at the ripe old age of 29 to pursue an acting career.

2) Barry Sanders (He ran 3,062 times for 15,269 yards.99 tds and a 5.0 average. He added 352 catches for 2,921 yards and 10 tds. ) Barry sanders & jim brown are ony rb's to average over 5.0 yards per carry & 100 yards per game played.

3) Walter Payton (3,838 rushes for 16,726 yards, 110 tds and a 4.4 average per carry. He added 492 receptions for 4,538 yards and 15 TDs.)

4) Emmitt Smith (18.355 yards on 4,409 carries, 164 tds and a 4.2 average. He added 515 catches for 3,224 yards and 11 tds.)

5) Earl Campbell (2,187 attempts for 9,407 yards, 74 tds and a 4.3 average. He added 121 catches for 806 yards with no tds.)

Good list. I definitely agree with your top 4. Earl Campbell, Eric Dickerson definitely deserve mention as well. Based on football only, OJ Simpson as well. But considering his off field behavior, I would leave off OJ from the list. As he would definitely not be in the top 4.

 

[BooneCy]

I think Emmit is right where he belongs on this list. I struggle with Sweetness being third, but I can see your reasoning. And to backup timappelgate, what is your reasoning for picking Campbell over Dickerson. Not, that I think it is wrong, just wondering.

 

[tm3308]

I would give Marshall Faulk some serious consideration for the #5 spot. 12,279 yards (4.3 yard average, same as Campbell), 100 rushing TD's. Also, and this is the big thing that puts him over the hump for me: 767 receptions, 6,875 yards (9 ypc), and 36 receiving TD's.

19,154 total yards from scrimmage (4th all-time, regardless of position, and 3rd among running backs) and 136 TD's (7th all-time, regardless of position, and 4th among running backs).

 

[Cyforce]

I know he didn't last long enough to get the stats but Gayle Sayers may of been the best ever to play the game.

my five would be
Simpson
Sanders
Brown
Payton
Sayers

 

[Clones85']

Good list but don't forget Tomlinson. Can run and catch. Knows how to get in the endzone. I would take LT in his prime over Emmitt Smith in his prime

 

[CyJack13]

1) Jim Brown ( 2,359 rushes for 12,312 yards, 106 tds and an amazing 5.2 yard per rush average. Added 262 receptions for 20 touchdowns.) And he retired at the ripe old age of 29 to pursue an acting career.

2) Barry Sanders (He ran 3,062 times for 15,269 yards.99 tds and a 5.0 average. He added 352 catches for 2,921 yards and 10 tds. ) Barry sanders & jim brown are ony rb's to average over 5.0 yards per carry & 100 yards per game played.

3) Walter Payton (3,838 rushes for 16,726 yards, 110 tds and a 4.4 average per carry. He added 492 receptions for 4,538 yards and 15 TDs.)

4) Emmitt Smith (18.355 yards on 4,409 carries, 164 tds and a 4.2 average. He added 515 catches for 3,224 yards and 11 tds.)

5) Earl Campbell (2,187 attempts for 9,407 yards, 74 tds and a 4.3 average. He added 121 catches for 806 yards with no tds.)

Replace Emmitt with Gale Sayers, and we're good.

 

[bpmcclain]

No Cutis Enis? Blasphemy!

 

[RING4CY]

Walter "Sweetness" Payton. PERIOD.

 

[ItsCyence]

Sayers should be on there. Bill Cosby is a fan of his.

 

[CykoAGR]

I would probably rank:

Sanders
Brown
Payton
Smith
Faulk

I had a hard time putting Brown that high but it is because he is the only one on that list that I never saw play. When you consider that he was not playing in as many games per year his totals could have been higher. You could also argue that he had less of a chance to get hurt because he didnt play as many games but either way they guy was an animal.

You could make a case for any of these players and some others like Dickerson and Tomlinson. Its hard to compare Brown to some of the others because he played in a different era.

 

[WalkingCY]

Barry Sanders
Walter Payton
Erick Dickerson
Bo Jackson
Marshall Faulk

 

[Rural]

1- Gayle Sayers
2- Walter Payton
3- Rashann Salaam
4- Brock Forsey
5- William Perry

 

[tccoach]

The thing that was amazing about Sanders was that he was the Lions offense...everyone knew he would run the ball, and he still could not be stopped. I remember him running through our Cyclones for some crazy number...250+ yards in one game.

 

[galactawitz]

The thing that was amazing about Sanders was that he was the Lions offense...everyone knew he would run the ball, and he still could not be stopped. I remember him running through our Cyclones for some crazy number...250+ yards in one game.

This is why I have so much respect for Sanders and Payton. When they started there careers, actually most of Barry's, there teams stank. Their lines were terrible, their QB's were terrible and so on. Though Emmit Smith was a great back, his prime years he ran behind some of the best lines ever assembled, and had HOF QB's and Wide outs to take the pressure off. His stats and accomplishments are great, but he wouldn't be in my top 5, possibly even 10 if I had to choose today. Tomlinson, Faulk, Preist Holmes before his injury, Curtis Martin, and AP are all better recent backs IMO. They just didn't have the consistent players around them to make their careers better.

 

[RING4CY]

1- Gayle Sayers
2- Walter Payton
3- Rashann Salaam
4- Brock Forsey
5- William Perry

How dare you leave Cedric Benson off that list!

 

[RING4CY]

The thing that was amazing about Sanders was that he was the Lions offense...everyone knew he would run the ball, and he still could not be stopped. I remember him running through our Cyclones for some crazy number...250+ yards in one game.

Same thing can be said about Payton. His best years in the first part of his career his offense/offensive line was horridly bad.

 

[BMFClone]

Walter Abercrombie
Lydell Mitchell
Icky Woods
Matt Suhey
Rocky Bleier - tougher than nails