Joe Posnanski's Top 32 All-Time RBs

SI Staff | Aug 10, 2010

Joe Posnanski's Top 32 All-Time RBs

Jim Brown

Focus on Sport/Getty Images

Sports Illustrated senior writer Joe Posnanski ranks the Top 32 running backs of all time. To read the full article (with explanations of his choices), click the link below. Career Rushing Yards: 12,312 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 106 Career Rushing Average: 5.2 Career Receptions: 262 Career Receiving Yards: 2,499 Career Touchdowns: 126 Career Pro Bowls: 9 Super Bowls Won: 0

Walter Payton

Walter Iooss Jr., Jerry Wachter(2), Bill Smith/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 16,726 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 110 Career Rushing Average: 4.4 Career Receptions: 492 Career Receiving Yards: 4,538 Career Touchdowns: 125 Career Pro Bowls: 9 Super Bowls Won: 1

Emmitt Smith

Peter Read Miller(2), Walter Iooss Jr., John Biever/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 18,355 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 164 Career Rushing Average: 4.2 Career Receptions: 515 Career Receiving Yards: 3,224 Career Touchdowns: 175 Career Pro Bowls: 8 Super Bowls Won: 3

Barry Sanders

John Biever/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 15,269 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 99 Career Rushing Average: 5.0 Career Receptions: 352 Career Receiving Yards: 2,921 Career Touchdowns: 109 Career Pro Bowls: 10 Super Bowls Won: 0

Earl Campbell

Heinz Kluetmeier/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 9,407 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 74 Career Rushing Average: 4.3 Career Receptions: 121 Career Receiving Yards: 806 Career Touchdowns: 74 Career Pro Bowls: 5 Super Bowls Won: 0

Marshall Faulk

John Biever/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 12,279 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 100 Career Rushing Average: 4.3 Career Receptions: 767 Career Receiving Yards: 6,875 Career Touchdowns: 136 Career Pro Bowls: 7 Super Bowls Won: 1

O.J. Simpson

Neil Leifer/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 11,236 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 61 Career Rushing Average: 4.7 Career Receptions: 203 Career Receiving Yards: 2,142 Career Touchdowns: 75 Career Pro Bowls: 6 Super Bowls Won: 0

Gale Sayers

Tony Tomsic/Getty Images

Career Rushing Yards: 4,956 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 39 Career Rushing Average: 5.0 Career Receptions: 112 Career Receiving Yards: 1,307 Career Touchdowns: 48 Career Pro Bowls: 4 Super Bowls Won: 0

Bo Jackson

V.J. Lovero/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 2,782 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 16 Career Rushing Average: 5.4 Career Receptions: 40 Career Receiving Yards: 352 Career Touchdowns: 18 Career Pro Bowls: 1 Super Bowls Won: 0

Red Grange

TSN/Icon SMI

Career Rushing Yards: 569 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 21 Career Rushing Average: 3.3 Career Receptions: 16 Career Receiving Yards: 288 Career Touchdowns: 31 Career Pro Bowls: 0 Super Bowls Won: 0

Eric Dickerson

Peter Read Miller/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 13,259 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 90 Career Rushing Average: 4.4 Career Receptions: 281 Career Receiving Yards: 2,137 Career Touchdowns: 96 Career Pro Bowls: 6 Super Bowls Won: 0

Marion Motley

Frank Rippon/Getty Images

Career Rushing Yards: 4,720 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 31 Career Rushing Average: 5.7 Career Receptions: 85 Career Receiving Yards: 1,107 Career Touchdowns: 38 Career Pro Bowls: 1 Super Bowls Won: 0

LaDainian Tomlinson

John W. McDonough/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 12,490 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 138 Career Rushing Average: 4.3 Career Receptions: 530 Career Receiving Yards: 3,955 Career Touchdowns: 153 Career Pro Bowls: 5 Super Bowls Won: 0

Bronko Nagurski

Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images

Career Rushing Yards: 2,778 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 25 Career Rushing Average: 4.4 Career Receptions: 11 Career Receiving Yards: 134 Career Touchdowns: 25 Career Pro Bowls: 0 Super Bowls Won: 0

Terrell Davis

Mickey Pfleger/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 7,607 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 60 Career Rushing Average: 4.6 Career Receptions: 169 Career Receiving Yards: 1,280 Career Touchdowns: 65 Career Pro Bowls: 3 Super Bowls Won: 2

Thurman Thomas

John Biever/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 12,074 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 65 Career Rushing Average: 4.2 Career Receptions: 472 Career Receiving Yards: 4,458 Career Touchdowns: 88 Career Pro Bowls: 5 Super Bowls Won: 0

Franco Harris

Heinz Kluetmeier(2), Walter Iooss Jr., John Iacono/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 12,120 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 91 Career Rushing Average: 4.1 Career Receptions: 307 Career Receiving Yards: 2,287 Career Touchdowns: 100 Career Pro Bowls: 9 Super Bowls Won: 4

Tony Dorsett

Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Career Rushing Yards: 12,739 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 77 Career Rushing Average: 4.3 Career Receptions: 398 Career Receiving Yards: 3,554 Career Touchdowns: 90 Career Pro Bowls: 4 Super Bowls Won: 1

Marcus Allen

Andy Hayt, Richard Mackson/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 12,243 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 123 Career Rushing Average: 4.1 Career Receptions: 587 Career Receiving Yards: 5,411 Career Touchdowns: 144 Career Pro Bowls: 6 Super Bowls Won: 1

Lenny Moore

Charles Hoff/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images

Career Rushing Yards: 5,174 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 63 Career Rushing Average: 4.8 Career Receptions: 363 Career Receiving Yards: 6,039 Career Touchdowns: 111 Career Pro Bowls: 7 Super Bowls Won: 0

Priest Holmes

Bill Frakes/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 8,172 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 86 Career Rushing Average: 4.6 Career Receptions: 339 Career Receiving Yards: 2,962 Career Touchdowns: 94 Career Pro Bowls: 3 Super Bowls Won: 1

Jim Taylor

Marvin E. Newman/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 8,597 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 83 Career Rushing Average: 4.4 Career Receptions: 225 Career Receiving Yards: 1,756 Career Touchdowns: 93 Career Pro Bowls: 5 Super Bowls Won: 1

Larry Csonka

Neil Leifer, Walter Iooss Jr./SI

Career Rushing Yards: 8,081 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 64 Career Rushing Average: 4.3 Career Receptions: 106 Career Receiving Yards: 820 Career Touchdowns: 68 Career Pro Bowls: 5 Super Bowls Won: 2

Chris Johnson

Al Tielemans/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 3,234 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 23 Career Rushing Average: 5.3 Career Receptions: 93 Career Receiving Yards: 763 Career Touchdowns: 26 Career Pro Bowls: 2 Super Bowls Won: 0

Joe Perry

Frank Rippon/Getty Images

Career Rushing Yards: 9,723 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 71 Career Rushing Average: 5.0 Career Receptions: 260 Career Receiving Yards: 2,021 Career Touchdowns: 83 Career Pro Bowls: 3 Super Bowls Won: 0

Ollie Matson

John G. Zimmerman/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 5,173 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 40 Career Rushing Average: 4.4 Career Receptions: 222 Career Receiving Yards: 3,285 Career Touchdowns: 63 Career Pro Bowls: 6 Super Bowls Won: 0

Hugh McElhenny

Frank Rippon/Getty Images

Career Rushing Yards: 5,281 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 38 Career Rushing Average: 4.7 Career Receptions: 264 Career Receiving Yards: 3,247 Career Touchdowns: 58 Career Pro Bowls: 6 Super Bowls Won: 0

Steve Van Buren

Nate Fine/Getty Images

Career Rushing Yards: 5,860 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 69 Career Rushing Average: 4.4 Career Receptions: 45 Career Receiving Yards: 523 Career Touchdowns: 72 Career Pro Bowls: 0 Super Bowls Won: 0

Edgerrin James

John Biever/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 12,246 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 80 Career Rushing Average: 4.0 Career Receptions: 433 Career Receiving Yards: 3,364 Career Touchdowns: 91 Career Pro Bowls: 4 Super Bowls Won: 0

Curtis Martin

Walter Iooss Jr., Damian Strohmeyer/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 14,101 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 90 Career Rushing Average: 4.0 Career Receptions: 484 Career Receiving Yards: 3,329 Career Touchdowns: 100 Career Pro Bowls: 5 Super Bowls Won: 0

Leroy Kelly

Clifton Boutelle/Getty Images

Career Rushing Yards: 7,274 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 74 Career Rushing Average: 4.2 Career Receptions: 190 Career Receiving Yards: 2,281 Career Touchdowns: 87 Career Pro Bowls: 6 Super Bowls Won: 0

Frank Gifford

John G. Zimmerman/SI

Career Rushing Yards: 3,609 Career Rushing Touchdowns: 34 Career Rushing Average: 4.3 Career Receptions: 367 Career Receiving Yards: 5,434 Career Touchdowns: 77 Career Pro Bowls: 8 Super Bowls Won: 0