Although it has been glossed-over and devalued in recent years, the running back position has been a hallmark of star power in the NFL from it’s inception. The era of the superstar halfback has passed, as 5,000 yard passers and minor contract deals have made a “do it all guy” hard to find.

That being said, the stranglehold that running backs used to hold on this league cannot be ignored. From Jim Brown to as recent as Adrian Peterson, star runners have carried their respected teams to success, garnering countless accolades along the way.

Due to the popularity of my quarterback’s list, this top ten list of the best to trot up the sideline against opposing defenses shares a similar formula to my previous list. I added total yards (Rushing+Receiving), touchdowns, yards per carry and yards per game through their entire career. I then subtracted total games played, total carries and fumbles from their final totals. As with the quarterback’s list, one or two zeroes were added to some totals as to make the adding process easier.

The system changed when it came to awards however. More points were awarded for Pro Bowls (+2000 for each) and MVP’s (+7500) due to the difficulty for a running back to beat out a quarterback for the highest individual honor in professional football. Half backs were awarded 3000 points for Super Bowl or NFL Championships because they don not posses the same leadership position of signal callers, who received 5000 per Lombardi Trophy.

1. Jim Brown-71,074 
2. Walter Payton- 65,416 
3. Barry Sanders- 64,827 
4. Emmitt Smith- 60, 769 
5. Marshall Faulk- 51,827 
6. Marcus Allen- 47, 986 
7. LaDanian Tomlinson- 46,509 
8. Eric Dickerson- 44,273
9. Franco Harris- 44,107 
10. OJ Simpson- 42, 307      

This compilation shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to most football fans. Marshall Faulk’s versatility as a receiver out of the backfield and as  Super Bowl Champion pushed him past other talented runners such as Eric Dickerson and LT and into the top five.

Some will question how Emmitt Smith, the career leader in rushing yards and touchdowns, did not top this list. Smith had the most carries ever and played in more games than any other running back who made the cut, so his score was noticeably deflated after those aspects were factored in.

Jim Brown reigned supreme because of his immense prowess over a relatively short period of time. In a 9 year career, Brown won two championships, three MVP’s and retired as the leader in every statistical category for a running back, and is still in the top ten in ALL of them. Other old school backs such as Earl Campbell and Franco Harris performed well, both finishing in the top 15.

Through my point system, I was able to see several players who had careers that were cut short by injury be recognized for their skill for a brief period time. Players like Shaun Alexander and Priest Holmes both finished in the top ten despite combining for less games played than Emmitt Smith.

The best modern day running back was by far Adrian Peterson, who finished at 11th overall. If he continues to play going forward, he will undoubtedly find himself in the top five in the near future.

Do you agree with the list? Did anyone get left off? Leave your points in the comments below.