NFL's greatest running backs

This ad/article rates the NFL's greatest running backs of all time.

30. Marion Motley
29. Tiki Barber
28. Chris Johnson
27. Jamal Lewis
26. Ricky Watters
25. Joe Perry
24. Ottis Anderson
23. Marshawn Lynch
22. Thurman Thomas
21. John Riggins
20. Fred Taylor
19. Edgerrin James
18. Frank Gore
17. Corey Dillon
16. Jerome Bettis
15. Earl Campbell
14. Tony Dorsett
13. Marshall Faulk
12. O.J. Simpson
11. Curtis Martin
10. Franco Harris
9. Terrell Davis
8. Adrian Peterson
7. Marcus Allen
6. LaDainian Tomlinson
5. Eric Dickerson
4. Walter Payton
3. Jim Brown
2. Barry Sanders
1. Emmitt Smith

I would rank Campbell, Dorsett, and Simpson higher.  (Maybe because they were from my era.)  And Jim Brown should definitely be no. 1.

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Here's Athlon's 25 greatest

25. Marshawn Lynch
24. Tiki Barber
23. Shaun Alexander
22. Frank Gore
21. Jim Taylor (yeah, they missed him)
20. Terrell Davis
19. Edgerrin James
18. Jerome Bettis
17. Franco Harris
16. Thurman Thomas
15. John Riggins
14. Tony Dorsett
13. Gale Sayers (another one)
12. O.J. Simpson (how is he not top ten?)
11. Curtis Martin
10. Marcus Allen
9. Earl Campbell
8. Eric Dickerson
7. Adrian Peterson
6. Marshall Faulk
5. LaDainian Tomlinson
4. Emmitt Smith (I think he's ranked too high)
3. Walter Payton
2. Barry Sanders
1. Jim Brown (as he should be)

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And here's Bleacher Report's Top 10

First the honorable mentions.  Marcus Allen, Earl Campbell, Gale Sayers, O.J. Simpson, Thurman Thomas.

10. LaDainian Tomlinson
9. Franco Harris
8. Tony Dorsett
7. Marshall  Faulk
6. Eric Dickerson
5. Adrian Peterson
4. Barry Sanders
3. Jim Brown (what?)
2. Emmitt Smith
1. Walter Payton

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First of all, Jim Brown led the league in rushing in 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965.  Missing only 1962 when Jim Taylor led the league.

Other multiple season rushing leaders:

Whizzer White 1938, 1940
Bill Paschal 1943, 1944
Steve Van Buren 1945, 1947, 1948, 1948.
Marion Motley 1948, 1950
Joe Perry 1949, 1953, 1954
Jim Nance 1966, 1967 (AFL)
Gale Sayers 1966, 1969
Leroy Kelly 1967, 1968
O.J. Simpson 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976
Earl Campbell 1978, 1979, 1980
Eric Dickerson 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988
Barry Sanders 1990, 1994, 1996, 1997
Emmitt Smith 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995
Edgerrin James 1999, 2000
LaDainian Tomlinson 2006, 2007
Adrian Peterson 2008, 2012, 2015
Ezekiel Elliott 2016, 2018

Interestingly, Walter Payton led the league in rushing only once (1977).