The fantasy football craze over the past decade has coincided perfectly with the career of the greatest fantasy running back of all-time. During Tomlinson's nine-year career, he was a top-3 fantasy running back six times; no other RB can match that feat. His combination of durability, quality, dominance and consistency has largely been unmatched, and fantasy football players will remember Tomlinson's greatness for years to come. Maurice Jones-Drew, Chris Johnson and Adrian Peterson are probably the only active players with a realistic chance of supplanting Tomlinson at the top of this list.
Below are the top 100 fantasy RBs, sorted by career VBD, over the last 40 seasons. Running backs who entered the league before the 1970 AFL-NFL merger are included, but only their post-merger seasons are counted. In addition to the RB and his career VBD, the table below lists the years he played, which teams he played for, and his ranks in every season (his 1st best, 2nd best, 3rd best, etc.) in ascending order.
Note: For formatting purposes, I replaced any season where the player's rank was 100 or greater with the letter "OO" representing over one-hundred.
Rk |
Player |
VBD |
Years |
Teams |
Positional Rankings |
1 |
LaDainian Tomlinson |
1406 |
2001-2009 |
sdg |
1, 1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 6, 7, 21 |
2 |
Emmitt Smith |
1377 |
1990-2004 |
dal-crd |
1, 1, 1, 1, 3, 5, 6, 6, 9, 16, 23, 23, 27, 29, 64 |
3 |
Walter Payton |
1348 |
1975-1987 |
chi |
1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 6, 13, 14, 18, 27 |
4 |
Marshall Faulk |
1338 |
1994-2005 |
clt-ram |
1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 6, 7, 10, 16, 16, 28, 47 |
5 |
Barry Sanders |
1251 |
1989-1998 |
det |
1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 13 |
6 |
Marcus Allen |
977 |
1982-1997 |
rai-kan |
1, 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 15, 16, 18, 18, 19, 24, 27, 43, 53, 61 |
7 |
Curtis Martin |
921 |
1995-2005 |
nwe-nyj |
3, 4, 4, 5, 5, 8, 8, 13, 18, 18, 29 |
8 |
Thurman Thomas |
916 |
1988-2000 |
buf-mia |
2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 7, 12, 18, 29, 39, 40, 70, 93 |
9 |
Ricky Watters |
900 |
1992-2001 |
sfo-phi-sea |
3, 4, 4, 5, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 60 |
10 |
Eric Dickerson |
860 |
1983-1993 |
ram-clt-rai-atl |
1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 10, 15, 29, 34, 35, OO |
11 |
Edgerrin James |
796 |
1999-2009 |
clt-crd |
2, 2, 5, 6, 10, 11, 17, 24, 33, 55, OO |
12 |
Shaun Alexander |
761 |
2000-2008 |
sea-was |
1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 29, 36, 59, OO |
13 |
Tiki Barber |
754 |
1997-2006 |
nyg |
1, 4, 7, 7, 11, 12, 12, 27, 34, 41 |
14 |
Priest Holmes |
739 |
1997-2007 |
rav-kan |
1, 1, 2, 15, 17, 31, 35, 45, OO, OO |
15 |
Tony Dorsett |
720 |
1977-1988 |
dal-den |
2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 25, 30, 42 |
16 |
Chuck Foreman |
715 |
1973-1980 |
min-nwe |
1, 2, 2, 5, 11, 15, 80, OO |
17 |
Herschel Walker |
689 |
1986-1997 |
dal-min-phi-nyg |
1, 3, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 17, 63, 87, 90 |
18 |
O.J. Simpson |
683 |
1969-1979 |
buf-sfo |
1, 1, 3, 6, 12, 26, 35, 52, 53, 68 |
19 |
Roger Craig |
671 |
1983-1993 |
sfo-rai-min |
2, 2, 4, 8, 9, 10, 14, 41, 43, 51, 70 |
20 |
Terrell Davis |
620 |
1995-2001 |
den |
1, 2, 2, 11, 48, 67, 84 |
21 |
Ahman Green |
618 |
1998-2009 |
sea-gnb-htx |
3, 3, 4, 11, 12, 14, 64, 68, 68, 89, 92, OO |
22 |
Ottis Anderson |
611 |
1979-1992 |
crd-nyg |
4, 5, 6, 6, 8, 9, 20, 22, 46, 53, 69, 90, OO, OO |
23 |
Clinton Portis |
602 |
2002-2009 |
den-was |
3, 4, 6, 6, 10, 10, 37, 55 |
24 |
Lydell Mitchell |
581 |
1972-1980 |
clt-sdg-ram |
2, 2, 3, 5, 13, 29, 60, 87, OO |
25 |
Franco Harris |
576 |
1972-1984 |
pit-sea |
4, 6, 7, 7, 9, 11, 15, 17, 19, 19, 23, 35, OO |
26 |
Eddie George |
561 |
1996-2004 |
ten-dal |
3, 3, 9, 11, 13, 14, 21, 22, 44 |
27 |
William Andrews |
540 |
1979-1986 |
atl |
1, 2, 3, 7, 20, OO |
28 |
Brian Westbrook |
515 |
2002-2009 |
phi |
2, 5, 8, 9, 13, 20, 57, 76 |
29 |
Neal Anderson |
509 |
1986-1993 |
chi |
3, 3, 6, 6, 11, 13, 32, OO |
30 |
Wilbert Montgomery |
482 |
1977-1985 |
phi-det |
2, 4, 5, 7, 11, 16, 83, 97, OO |
31 |
Ricky Williams |
479 |
1999-2009 |
nor-mia |
2, 7, 7, 9, 16, 28, 28, 38, OO |
32 |
Earl Campbell |
477 |
1978-1985 |
hou-nor |
2, 3, 3, 10, 13, 29, 56, 58 |
33 |
Corey Dillon |
451 |
1997-2006 |
cin-nwe |
7, 8, 9, 11, 16, 16, 18, 18, 22, 45 |
34 |
Fred Taylor |
449 |
1998-2009 |
jax-nwe |
4, 8, 9, 12, 19, 21, 22, 29, 34, 57, 72, OO |
35 |
Terry Allen |
436 |
1991-2001 |
min-was-nwe-nor-rav |
1, 4, 9, 13, 20, 29, 35, 40, 46, 80 |
36 |
Chuck Muncie |
427 |
1976-1984 |
nor-sdg |
3, 4, 7, 11, 14, 19, 30, 30, OO |
37 |
James Brooks |
425 |
1981-1992 |
sdg-cin-cle-tam |
5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 23, 25, 29, 39, 41, 46, OO |
38 |
Billy Sims |
421 |
1980-1984 |
det |
1, 2, 8, 15, 25 |
39 |
Wendell Tyler |
421 |
1977-1986 |
ram-sfo |
2, 5, 9, 10, 25, 26, 77, OO, OO, OO |
40 |
Earnest Byner |
407 |
1984-1997 |
cle-was-rav |
4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 15, 18, 26, 27, 39, 59, 64, 67, 71 |
41 |
Curt Warner |
395 |
1983-1990 |
sea-ram |
2, 5, 6, 11, 16, 35, OO, OO |
42 |
Larry Brown |
394 |
1969-1976 |
was |
2, 3, 3, 14, 14, 42, OO |
43 |
Steven Jackson |
393 |
2004-2009 |
ram |
2, 9, 10, 13, 15, 33 |
44 |
John Riggins |
391 |
1971-1985 |
nyj-was |
4, 7, 10, 12, 15, 17, 18, 23, 26, 30, 36, 37, 41, 83 |
45 |
Jerome Bettis |
375 |
1993-2005 |
ram-pit |
3, 4, 7, 15, 17, 20, 21, 21, 23, 31, 35, 39, 41 |
46 |
Larry Johnson |
372 |
2003-2009 |
kan-cin |
2, 3, 25, 37, 39, 54, OO |
47 |
James Wilder |
365 |
1981-1990 |
tam-was-det |
1, 8, 12, 28, 28, 30, 30, 46, 74, OO |
48 |
Lawrence McCutcheon |
363 |
1972-1981 |
ram-den-sea-buf |
4, 5, 6, 10, 17, 74, 78, 96, OO, OO |
49 |
Jamal Lewis |
362 |
2000-2009 |
rav-cle |
4, 6, 14, 17, 20, 25, 26, 27, 62 |
50 |
Charlie Garner |
360 |
1994-2004 |
phi-sfo-rai-tam |
5, 6, 7, 14, 29, 38, 38, 44, 54, 68, 96 |
51 |
Ron A. Johnson |
360 |
1969-1975 |
cle-nyg |
1, 1, 6, 32, 40, 92 |
52 |
Maurice Jones-Drew |
335 |
2006-2009 |
jax |
3, 6, 8, 12 |
53 |
Jamal Anderson |
335 |
1994-2001 |
atl |
2, 10, 10, 20, 73, 86, OO, OO |
54 |
Adrian Peterson |
334 |
2007-2009 |
min |
2, 5, 5 |
55 |
Frank Gore |
326 |
2005-2009 |
sfo |
4, 5, 8, 13, 39 |
56 |
Deuce McAllister |
319 |
2001-2008 |
nor |
5, 8, 15, 18, 48, 55, 64, OO |
57 |
Stephen Davis |
316 |
1996-2006 |
was-car-ram |
4, 10, 12, 14, 25, 27, 43, 56, 69, 91, OO |
58 |
Chris Warren |
316 |
1990-2000 |
sea-dal-phi |
4, 5, 15, 18, 21, 21, 37, 39, 49, OO, OO |
59 |
Greg Bell |
314 |
1984-1990 |
buf-ram-rai |
4, 8, 11, 13, 44, 99, OO |
60 |
Gerald Riggs |
304 |
1982-1991 |
atl-was |
5, 5, 11, 22, 25, 32, 42, 43, 43, 50 |
61 |
Warrick Dunn |
298 |
1997-2008 |
tam-atl |
12, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 19, 20, 24, 25, 29, 29 |
62 |
Joe Cribbs |
297 |
1980-1988 |
buf-sfo-clt-mia |
3, 7, 10, 20, 29, 63, 68, OO |
63 |
Mike Pruitt |
288 |
1976-1986 |
cle-buf-kan |
5, 10, 12, 12, 21, 49, 51, 65, 67, OO, OO |
64 |
Thomas Jones |
280 |
2000-2009 |
crd-tam-chi-nyj |
4, 6, 10, 16, 19, 23, 36, 41, 43, 44 |
65 |
Floyd Little |
280 |
1967-1975 |
den |
2, 3, 5, 16, 37, 42 |
66 |
Rodney Hampton |
277 |
1990-1997 |
nyg |
5, 6, 14, 14, 21, 31, 37, OO |
67 |
Chris Johnson |
272 |
2008-2009 |
ten |
1, 11 |
68 |
John L. Williams |
267 |
1986-1995 |
sea-pit |
8, 8, 8, 13, 20, 21, 24, 37, 46, 74 |
69 |
Greg Pruitt |
266 |
1973-1984 |
cle-rai |
6, 6, 10, 20, 22, 32, 43, 50, 89, 97, OO, OO |
70 |
Freeman McNeil |
265 |
1981-1992 |
nyj |
5, 13, 14, 15, 18, 32, 35, 40, 40, 44, 70, 76 |
71 |
Joe Morris |
262 |
1982-1991 |
nyg-cle |
4, 4, 21, 33, 49, 65, 88, OO |
72 |
Dorsey Levens |
259 |
1994-2004 |
gnb-phi-nyg |
3, 5, 21, 31, 45, 48, 48, 49, 65, 75, OO |
73 |
Garrison Hearst |
255 |
1993-2004 |
crd-cin-sfo-den |
5, 11, 18, 20, 22, 32, 34, 76, 81, OO |
74 |
Dalton Hilliard |
249 |
1986-1993 |
nor |
1, 16, 17, 17, 43, 48, 52, 70 |
75 |
Pete Johnson |
246 |
1977-1984 |
cin-sdg-mia |
6, 8, 18, 21, 25, 27, 45, 48 |
76 |
Otis Armstrong |
244 |
1973-1980 |
den |
1, 9, 42, 57, 68, 77, 96, OO |
77 |
Duce Staley |
228 |
1997-2006 |
phi-pit |
10, 12, 15, 17, 27, 39, 45, 90, OO, OO |
78 |
Ted Brown |
227 |
1979-1986 |
min |
5, 7, 17, 25, 26, 34, 47, 64 |
79 |
Eric Metcalf |
226 |
1989-2002 |
cle-atl-sdg-crd-car-was-gnb |
12, 17, 19, 29, 34, 46, 66, 67, OO, OO, OO |
80 |
Rudi Johnson |
222 |
2001-2008 |
cin-det |
8, 9, 9, 21, 49, 74, OO, OO |
81 |
Terry Metcalf |
217 |
1973-1981 |
crd-was |
5, 9, 11, 17, 30, 52 |
82 |
Dom (Davis) Williams |
216 |
2003-2005 |
htx |
5, 15, 15 |
83 |
Robert Smith |
213 |
1993-2000 |
min |
10, 11, 13, 24, 41, 41, 56, 77 |
84 |
Edgar Bennett |
204 |
1992-1999 |
gnb-chi |
8, 9, 9, 23, 30, 80, OO |
85 |
Lorenzo White |
204 |
1988-1995 |
hou-cle |
5, 7, 31, 37, 41, 60, 83, OO |
86 |
Calvin Hill |
200 |
1969-1981 |
dal-was-cle |
4, 7, 13, 21, 34, 43, 49, 58, 68, 81, 99 |
87 |
Keith Byars |
195 |
1986-1998 |
phi-mia-nwe-nyj |
10, 16, 16, 18, 19, 31, 36, 36, 47, 53, 54, 72 |
88 |
Joseph Addai |
193 |
2006-2009 |
clt |
4, 8, 12, 39 |
89 |
Barry Foster |
185 |
1990-1994 |
pit |
3, 18, 27, 49, 96 |
90 |
George Rogers |
183 |
1981-1987 |
nor-was |
6, 7, 27, 32, 32, 33, 33 |
91 |
Travis Henry |
183 |
2001-2007 |
buf-ten-den |
9, 11, 23, 28, 43, 65, 77 |
92 |
Delvin Williams |
182 |
1974-1981 |
sfo-mia-gnb |
7, 8, 10, 19, 34, 41, 84, OO |
93 |
MacArthur Lane |
181 |
1968-1978 |
crd-gnb-kan |
2, 11, 23, 24, 29, 32, 58, 65, OO |
94 |
Mike Thomas |
177 |
1975-1980 |
was-sdg |
8, 8, 18, 29, 46, 50 |
95 |
Cleveland Gary |
171 |
1989-1994 |
ram-mia |
5, 9, 48, 77, 97, OO |
96 |
Donny Anderson |
170 |
1966-1974 |
gnb-crd |
4, 6, 10, 27, 41 |
97 |
Sam Cunningham |
170 |
1973-1982 |
nwe |
8, 9, 14, 19, 23, 33, 33, 73, OO |
98 |
Kevin Mack |
166 |
1985-1993 |
cle |
10, 14, 17, 19, 21, 36, 51, OO, OO |
99 |
Joe Washington |
165 |
1977-1985 |
sdg-clt-was-atl |
6, 15, 19, 20, 24, 39, 55, 61, 83 |
100 |
Mark van Eeghen |
160 |
1974-1983 |
rai-nwe |
7, 8, 16, 18, 22, 50, 50, 69, OO, OO |
Questions, suggestions and comments are always welcome to [email protected].