All 32 NFL Franchises Statistically Ranked By All-Time Greatness At The Running Back Position

Let the ranking begin!

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32. Carolina Panthers: 17 Points

Top Three RBs: DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, Stephen Davis

The Panthers’ history at the running back position has been anything but dominant since they joined the league in 1995. Their top three running backs all-time have combined for only two Pro Bowl selections between them. Their best season at running back was in 2008 when DeAngelo Williams ran for 1,515 yards and scored 20 touchdowns. Twice Williams has ran for 1,000 yards while Jonathan Stewart and Stephen Davis both did so once. They’ve been lackluster at the position for the entirety of their existence and Williams is still their workhorse back in 2014.

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31. Houston Texans: 23 Points

Top Three RBs: Arian Foster, Domanick Williams, Steve Slaton

Almost the entirety of the Texans’ history at running back is centered around Arian Foster. He’s been named First-Team All-Pro once and has been invited to three Pro Bowls. He surpassed the 1,500 yard mark in 2010, his second year in the league. Both Domanick Williams and Steve Slaton have put up at least one 10 touchdown and 1,000 yard season, too. The Texans are still finding their identity as a franchise, hopefully the best is yet to come at the running back position. Foster is still the guy for the Texans moving forward.

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27. (TIE) Boston/New England Patriots: 30 Points

Top Three RBs: Jim Nance, Curtis Martin, Corey Dillon

The Patriots’ top back of all-time is Jim Nance. He was a two-time First-Team All-Pro selection and took home an MVP award. Both Curtis Martin and Corey Dillon played only three seasons for the Patriots. Even so, they are still two of the best to ever play the running back position in New England. Martin put together two of the best seasons of his career for the Patriots and Dillon had one of the best of his career in 2004. Those two combined for five 10 touchdown season in their six years with the Pats. Overall the Patriots haven’t been a great running team in their history.

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27. (TIE) Cincinnati Bengals: 30 Points

Top Three RBs: Corey Dillon, Pete Johnson, James Brooks

Cincinnati isn’t historically known for running the ball, but these three players have combined for eight Pro Bowl selections for the Bengals. Corey Dillon is one of four players to be represented by multiple franchises on this list (Curtis Martin, Clinton Portis, and Marshall Faulk the other three). For the Bengals, Dillon surpassed the 1,000 yard mark six times. Pete Johnson was the most impressive scorer of the bunch, twice hitting the 15 touchdown mark for the Bengals. Perhaps Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill will bring the Bengals some of their best running backs seasons in the coming years.

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27. (TIE) Baltimore Ravens: 30 Points

Top Three RBs: Jamal Lewis, Ray Rice, Willis McGahee

The Baltimore Ravens are still a young franchise but these three players have managed to put up a respectable ten combined 1,000 yard seasons. Jamal Lewis, Baltimore’s top running back all-time, is also a member of the illustrious “2,000-yard club” one of seven running backs to rush for that many yards in a single season. Despite his recent disgusting and terrible act, Ray Rice has put together a nice career in Baltimore; an NFL career that very well may be over. He is the only one of these three to score at least 15 touchdowns in a season. McGahee never reached a Pro Bowl but did hit the 1,000 yard and 10-touchdown mark while in Baltimore. The Ravens are known for their defense but given their age, they’ve done ok at running the ball, too.

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27. (TIE) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 30 Points

Top Three RBs: James Wilder, Warrick Dunn, Mike Alstott

The fourth team in this four-way tie has had an interesting history at the running back position, but not an overly successful one. James Wilder was their first great back, but was named to only one Pro Bowl squad. Twice he scored at least 10 touchdowns and ran for at least 1,000 yards. Warrick Dunn and Mike Alstott played together, a speed and power combo in the late-1990s. Dunn amassed the yards, but Alstott scored the touchdowns. This trade-off resulted in neither putting together astonishing seasons. Twice Dunn reached 1,000 yards and twice Alstott reached 10 touchdowns — neither did both in their time in Tampa. The future at running back is bright and in the hands of Doug Martin, who looks like a lock to make it into the Bucs’ top three in a few years.

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26. Miami Dolphins: 32 Points

Top Three RBs: Larry Csonka, Ricky Williams, Mercury Morris

Miami may be associated with great running backs a bit more than it deserves because of the iconic image of Larry Csonka’s bruising running style which coincides with the undefeated season nostalgia. Regardless, Csonka did have an amazing career with the Dolphins and deserves ample recognition. But after Csonka, there isn’t much left as Ricky Williams and Mercury Morris combined for only four 1,000 yard seasons and four Pro Bowl invitations for the Dolphins. Although, Williams is the only one to run for at least 1,500 yards in a season. Knowshon Moreno is now the back in town, maybe he’ll push his way into the top three in the coming years. His success may even push Miami passed the next team or two on the list.

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25. Jacksonville Jaguars: 34 Points

Top Three RBs: Fred Taylor, Maurice Jones-Drew, James Stewart

The Jaguars should feel good about coming in higher on this list than a handful of older, more historic teams. It speaks to their commitment as an organization to running the ball. Fred Taylor has put together the most 1,000-yard seasons in franchise history (7) while Maurice Jones-Drew reached double-digit touchdowns in four separate seasons and was invited to 3 Pro Bowls. James Stewart passed the 10 touchdown mark once in his career in Jacksonville. Time will tell if the Jaguars will continue to climb this list or if they begin to falter now that Jones-Drew has left town.