The Daily Ranker presents the top 10 seasons ever recorded by an NFL running back.
This task poses challenges due to the numerous factors involved, including the diverse eras of play.
The evaluation focused on total rushing yards, yards per carry, touchdowns, individual accolades, and additional performance metrics to compile this list.
Explore the rankings below!
1. 1997 Barry Sanders (Lions) — 2,053 yards on 335 rushes (6.13 yards per carry), 11 rushing TDs
Achievements in 1997: NFL MVP, NFL AP OPOY, Pro Bowl, First Team All-Pro, NFL rushing title
Why this season is the greatest
Barry Sanders showcased extraordinary talent throughout his career, but the 1997 season is unparalleled in NFL history. After a slow start with only 53 rushing yards in his first two games, he surged to finish with exactly 2,000 yards over the next 14 games.
Sanders shared the league MVP award with Brett Favre, clinched the NFL rushing title, and earned the AP Offensive Player of the Year honor. Remarkably, he remains the only player from the Lions to have won the league MVP award.
Stat to know
2. 1963 Jim Brown (Browns) — 1,863 yards on 291 rushes (6.4 yards per carry), 12 rushing TDs
Achievements in 1963: NFL Player of Year, 2nd in MVP, Pro Bowl, First Team All-Pro, Rushing Title, led NFL in rush attempts, led NFL in rushing TDs
Why this season is great
Considered by many as the greatest running back, Jim Brown delivered a phenomenal season with an impressive 6.4 yards per carry average, the highest for any player with at least 200 attempts in a single season. This marked his fifth rushing title in just seven seasons.
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3. 2012 Adrian Peterson (Vikings) — 2,097 yards on 348 rushes (6.03 yards per carry), 12 rushing TDs
Achievements in 2012: NFL MVP, NFL Player of the Year, NFL AP OPOY, Pro Bowl, First Team All-Pro, rushing title, led NFL in rushing yards per game
Why this season is great
In 2012, Adrian Peterson achieved a remarkable single-season career-high of 2,097 rushing yards, falling just 9 yards short of Eric Dickerson’s all-time record. He averaged an astonishing 141 rushing yards per game over the last 10 games of the regular season, showcasing his exceptional skill and determination.
Stat to know
4. 1984 Eric Dickerson (Rams) — 2,105 yards on 379 rushes (5.55 yards per carry), 14 rushing TDs
Achievements in 1984: 2nd in NFL MVP, Pro Bowl, First Team All-Pro, rushing title, led NFL in rushing TDs, led NFL in rushing yards per game
Why this season is great
Stat to know
Eric Dickerson’s 2,105 rushing yards in 1984 remain a single-season record. (Photo by David Madison/Getty Images)
5. 1999 Marshall Faulk (Rams) — 1,381 yards on 253 rushes (5.46 yards per carry), 7 rushing TDs; 87 catches, 1,048 rec yards, 5 rec TDs
Achievements in 1999: 2nd in NFL MVP, NFL AP OPOY, Pro Bowl, First Team All-Pro, Led NFL in points scored
Why this season is great
Stat to know
Marshall Faulk remains the only running back to achieve over 1,000 receiving yards in a single season while maintaining a yards-per-carry average of 5 or higher.
6. 1998 Terrell Davis (Broncos) — 2,008 yards on 392 rushes (5.12 yards per carry), 21 rushing TDs
Achievements in 1998: NFL MVP, NFL AP OPOY, Pro Bowl, First Team All-Pro, rushing title, led NFL in rushing TDs, led NFL in rushing yards per game
Why this season is great
Terrell Davis was a scoring machine in 1998, amassing 21 rushing touchdowns and 23 total touchdowns. Notably, no other running back had achieved 15 rushing touchdowns in a season while surpassing 2,000 yards. Including playoff games, Davis recorded 2,476 rushing yards, the highest ever for a player in a single season.
Stat to know
If Terrell Davis had missed the last five games of the 1998 regular season, he would still hold the Broncos’ single-season record for rushing touchdowns.
Including playoff games, Terrell Davis rushed for 2,476 yards in 1998, still a record. (Photo by Allen Kee/Getty Images)
7. 1973 O.J. Simpson (Bills) — 2,003 yards on 332 rushes (6.03 yards per carry), 12 rushing TDs
Achievements in 1973: NFL MVP, NFL AP OPOY, Pro Bowl, First Team All-Pro, rushing title, led NFL in rushing attempts, led NFL in rushing TDs, led NFL in rushing yards per game, led NFL in all-purpose yards
Why this season is great
Stat to know
O.J. Simpson started the 1973 season with remarkable speed, accumulating 1,025 rushing yards in the first seven weeks, the highest total in NFL history for that timeframe. He is one of only three players to achieve over 1,000 rushing yards in the first seven weeks.
8. 2006 LaDainian Tomlinson (Chargers) — 1,815 yards on 348 rushes (5.22 yards per carry), 28 rushing TDs, 508 rec yards, 3 rec TDs
Achievements in 2006: NFL MVP, NFL AP OPOY, Pro Bowl, First Team All-Pro, rushing title, led NFL in rushing TDs, led NFL in rushing yards per game, led NFL in points scored
Why this season is great
LaDainian Tomlinson made history in 2006 with 28 rushing touchdowns, the highest single-season total ever recorded. He is also the only player to achieve at least 1,800 rushing yards, 25 rushing touchdowns, and 500 receiving yards in the same season.
Stat to know
9. 2009 Chris Johnson (Titans) — 2,006 yards on 358 rushes (5.60 yards per carry), 14 rushing TDs, 503 rec yards, 2 rec TDs
Achievements in 2009: NFL AP OPOY, Pro Bowl, First Team All-Pro, rushing title, led NFL in rush attempts, led NFL in rushing yards per game
Why this season is great
In 2009, Chris Johnson became only the sixth running back to surpass 2,000 rushing yards in a season, achieving this with a remarkable workload of 408 total touches. He also set a record with five rushes of over 50 yards, showcasing his explosive speed.
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10. 2005 Shaun Alexander (Seahawks) — 1,880 yards on 370 rushes (5.08 yards per carry), 27 rushing TDs
Achievements in 2005: NFL MVP, NFL AP OPOY, Pro Bowl, First Team All-Pro, rushing title, led NFL in rushing attempts, led NFL in rushing TDs, led NFL in rushing yards per game, led NFL in TDs
Why this season is great
In 2005, Shaun Alexander made his mark by scoring 27 rushing touchdowns, tying the record set by Priest Holmes in 2003. He also recorded 14 rushes of over 20 yards, a significant achievement for a player with such a high touchdown count.
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