Who are your top 10 running backs in NFL history.

Man I loved watching Bo, that dude was an absolute freak of nature but no way hes a better RB than Barry.

Barry

Payton

Emmitt


I disagree completely.
Bo was a running back for hobby. Imagine if he dedicated himself. I have Sanders as number 2, dude was like a pinball, but Bo was raw power.
 
I disagree completely.
Bo was a running back for hobby. Imagine if he dedicated himself. I have Sanders as number 2, dude was like a pinball, but Bo was raw power.

I moved to KC in 88. That man might as well have been Michael Jordan around these parts at that time with the aura around him. I Imagine if he didn’t break the femur off in the socket what might have been.
Definitely one of my favorite athletes ever
hands down.
 
I am going to say this. EmmItt Smith had ran behind arguably the greatest line of all time. Even Trent Richardson could have gotten those stats playing behind that line.
 
Marcus Allen
Dickerson
Thurman Thomas
Tomlinson
Faulk
Simpson
Jim Brown
Emmitt Smith
Payton
Barry Sanders

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Anyone with Bo on their list never watched football
 
Anyone with Bo on their list never watched football
Hes one of those guys that gets judged on potential more than credential.
 
I am going to say this. EmmItt Smith had ran behind arguably the greatest line of all time. Even Trent Richardson could have gotten those stats playing behind that line.
Doesnt matter. A lot of them played on fantastic offenses. You still have to get it done.

There have been many dominant o-lines with average run games.
 
Hes one of those guys that gets judged on potential more than credential.
Cans romanticize on what he could have been instead of what he was (injury riddled can). Tbh he wasn’t even on Gaston Green’s level.
 
Cans romanticize on what he could have been instead of what he was (injury riddled can). Tbh he wasn’t even on Gaston Green’s level.
Generational abilities.
 
1. Barry - easily the best I’ve seen, ran behind shitty lines for his entire career and still averaged 5 yds a carry (1/3 of his runs were for a loss!), bonus points for retiring on top and never being a shitty past his prime has been
2. Walter
3. Jim Brown - hard to really know because he was a man among boys, would be fun to see what he could do against guys who didn’t have off season jobs and smoke at half time
4. Dickerson - probably the best at his peak of anyone outside of Barry
5. OJ - knifed thru defenses with ease but still had the power to murder anyone when he lowered the pads
6. AP - most physically gifted, would be higher had he stayed healthy
7. LT - a better version of Emmitt, great pass catcher out of the backfield
8. Earl Campbell - best of the bruiser backs
9. Emmitt - complete back, extremely durable, benefitted greatly from the best O-line in history + Troy, Irvin, and Novacek
10. Marcus Allen/Thurman/BeastMode/etc
 
Question for everyone, do you value dual threat RBs over strictly rushers? Or do you evaluate moreso on a RB’s primary job being running the ball.
 
Barry Sanders did the most with almost nothing.

Lions fans wanted to see him traded so he'd have a shot at a ring.
 
They can't be current players.
.Walter Payton
.Barry Sanders
.Joe Brown
.O.J. Simpson
.Terrell Davis
.Marshall Faulk
.Curtis Martin
.Gale Sayers
.LaDainian Tomlinson
.Bo Jackson
Lol at this list with no AP.
 
Question for everyone, do you value dual threat RBs over strictly rushers? Or do you evaluate moreso on a RB’s primary job being running the ball.

I think it's valuable. For this reason I'm happy to see Faulk getting love here (lots of top 10s), I believe on versatility he's one of the best, carrying the ball, blocking and a very good reciever.
 
1. Barry Sanders



2. Gale Sayers
3. Jim Brown
4. Walter Payton
5. Billy Sims
6. Tony Dorsett
7. OJ
8. Tomlinson
9. Earl Campbell
10. Marcus Allen



128. Emmitt Smith (wouldnt have even made a pro bowl had he spent his career with the Lions)
 
They can't be current players.
.Walter Payton
.Barry Sanders
.Joe Brown
.O.J. Simpson
.Terrell Davis
.Marshall Faulk
.Curtis Martin
.Gale Sayers
.LaDainian Tomlinson
.Bo Jackson

I like your list as Greatest meaning the RBs I would want on my team to give me the best chance of winning. I would have Dickerson instead of Curtis Martin. I noticed nobody else picked Martin either. It could be argued that Martin is overrated but he was extremely consistant and durrable.
 
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Question for everyone, do you value dual threat RBs over strictly rushers? Or do you evaluate moreso on a RB’s primary job being running the ball.
I favor having one of each, but if you're picking one I like dual threat guys. I feel like they are a good intermediate option before you start targeting TE's to the side. I hate when teams keep forcing swing routes, but when they are working they are devastating. A pure power runner is a thing of beauty, but I feel like all skill positions need to be pass catchers these days.
 
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