NFL running back career comparison

Every line is one running back’s career, game by game: the 50 with the most regular-season rushing yards whose careers began in 1999 or later. Pick a stat and a running back to measure against. That running back becomes the flat line at zero, and every other line shows how far ahead or behind they were after the same number of games. Tap a line or a name to highlight it, or download the chart as an image.

Highlights

Rushing yards: Gore got there by lasting

Frank Gore has the most rushing yards, 16,000, but got there by lasting. Of the other 49, 10 were ahead of Gore’s pace after the same number of games.

Stat
Measured against
  1. 17,720
  2. 27,494
  3. 37,407
  4. 47,373
  5. 57,369
  6. 67,047
  7. 76,977
  8. 86,958
  9. 96,817
  10. 106,624

49 of 50 reached game 80.

Highlight, or tap a line

What stands out

  • Adrian Peterson: 14,921 yards in 184 games, +1,665 versus Gore at the same point.
  • Derrick Henry: 13,494 yards in 157 games, +1,822 versus Gore at the same point.
  • Clinton Portis: 9,923 yards in 113 games, +1,263 versus Gore at the same point.
  • Jonathan Taylor: 7,996 yards in 89 games, +1,182 versus Gore at the same point.

Rushing yards

  • Frank Gore has the most rushing yards of the 50 running backs on this chart: 16,000 in 240 games.
  • Through 80 games, Edgerrin James leads with 7,720 rushing yards.
  • Jonathan Taylor has the most rushing yards per game, 89.8, among the 50 with at least 48 games.
  • 10 of the other 49 have more rushing yards than Gore had after the same number of games.
  • Adrian Peterson reached 10,000 rushing yards in the fewest games: 101.
  • Among active running backs, Derrick Henry has the most: 13,494 in 157 games.

How this is built

Regular season only. A game is any regular-season game with at least one carry or target, so a season lost to injury does not leave a gap in a line; the career just reaches the next game later. Through week 5 of the 2026 season.

The 50 running backs with the most rushing yards whose careers began in 1999 or later, counting a player as a running back if he was listed at the position in most of his games. Game-by-game data starts in 1999, so a career that began earlier would be plotted from its middle and every game number on it would be wrong. That leaves out Curtis Martin, Fred Taylor, Tiki Barber and Marshall Faulk, among others.

A line above zero is ahead of the chosen running back after the same number of games. Past the last game of that running back’s career the comparison continues at their career average per game, drawn dashed, because those games were never played. The same 50 running backs appear for every stat.

Scrimmage yards are rushing and receiving yards together, and total touchdowns are rushing and receiving touchdowns together. Fumbles are fumbles lost, on runs and catches.

Totals come from nflverse and can differ from official records by a few yards.

The data
#Running backTeamSeasonsGamesRush ydsCarriesRush TDRecRec ydsScrim ydsTotal TDFum lost
1Frank GoreSan Francisco 49ers2005–202024016,0003,736814843,98519,9859931
2Adrian PetersonMinnesota Vikings2007–202118414,9213,2321203052,47417,39512629
3LaDainian TomlinsonLos Angeles Chargers2001–201117013,6863,1761456244,76718,45316212
4Derrick HenryactiveTennessee Titans2016–202615713,4942,7751291971,86315,35713513
5Edgerrin JamesIndianapolis Colts1999–200914812,2543,027804343,35615,6109124
6Steven JacksonLos Angeles Rams2004–201516011,4472,766694603,67515,1227815
7LeSean McCoyPhiladelphia Eagles2009–202016811,1022,457735183,89815,0008915
8Jamal LewisBaltimore Ravens2000–200913110,6032,544582211,87912,4826226
9Thomas JonesNew York Jets2000–201117810,5862,680683071,99412,5807114
10Marshawn LynchSeattle Seahawks2007–201914910,4242,453852872,21412,6389415
11Ricky WilliamsMiami Dolphins1999–201114710,0092,432663422,60612,6157432
12Clinton PortisWashington Commanders2002–20101139,9232,230752472,01811,9418019
13Matt ForteChicago Bears2008–20171469,7892,355545554,67914,4687516
14Chris JohnsonTennessee Titans2008–20171309,6512,163553072,25511,9066416
15Shaun AlexanderSeattle Seahawks2000–20081239,4452,1871002151,52010,96511217
16Ezekiel ElliottDallas Cowboys2016–20241359,1302,139743682,71811,8488813
17Saquon BarkleyactiveNew York Giants2018–20261108,5381,862553622,65911,197715
18Willis McGaheeBuffalo Bills2004–20131398,4742,095652101,3399,8137022
19Maurice Jones-DrewJacksonville Jaguars2006–20141258,1671,847683462,94411,1117910
20Mark IngramNew Orleans Saints2011–20221558,1291,819663032,12510,2547614
21DeAngelo WilliamsCarolina Panthers2006–20161408,0991,731612362,10010,1997012
22Aaron JonesactiveGreen Bay Packers2017–20261298,0361,661543632,75510,7917513
23Jonathan TayloractiveIndianapolis Colts2020–2026897,9961,652752001,5759,571829
24Christian McCaffreyactiveCarolina Panthers2017–20261177,8751,719676455,52713,4021035
25Josh JacobsLas Vegas Raiders2019–20251057,8031,840742692,0729,8757612
26Jamaal CharlesKansas City Chiefs2008–20181187,5631,407443102,59310,1566419
27Joe MixonCincinnati Bengals2017–20241117,4281,816603192,4489,876744
28Nick ChubbCleveland Browns2018–20251007,3491,462541411,1098,458597
29Michael TurnerAtlanta Falcons2004–20121157,3381,64066705287,8666711
30Alvin KamaraactiveNew Orleans Saints2017–20261307,3361,702636194,98912,325888
31Jonathan StewartCarolina Panthers2008–20181347,3341,704511621,2958,6295815
32DeMarco MurrayDallas Cowboys2011–2017997,1741,604493072,1659,3395512
33Le'Veon BellPittsburgh Steelers2013–2021966,5541,595424003,2979,851515
34Latavius MurrayLas Vegas Raiders2014–20231456,5521,560592391,6208,172612
35Melvin GordonLos Angeles Chargers2015–20231126,5431,593563122,5139,0567019
36Arian FosterHouston Texans2009–2016786,5251,475542552,3468,8716811
37Brian WestbrookPhiladelphia Eagles2002–20101196,3201,386414433,94810,268717
38LeGarrette BlountNew England Patriots2010–20181286,3061,49556644546,7605812
39David MontgomeryactiveChicago Bears2019–20261106,2531,529612381,9578,210669
40Dalvin CookMinnesota Vikings2017–2024896,2271,357472371,8828,1095215
41Larry JohnsonKansas City Chiefs2003–2011826,2041,427551541,3737,577619
42Ray RiceBaltimore Ravens2008–2013916,1801,430373693,0349,214438
43Alfred MorrisWashington Commanders2012–20201116,1731,42935685136,686368
44Deuce McAllisterNew Orleans Saints2001–2008936,1001,430502341,7207,8205513
45Travis HenryBuffalo Bills2001–2007866,0831,489381409467,0294017
46Todd GurleyLos Angeles Rams2015–2020886,0821,460672432,2548,336797
47James ConnerArizona Cardinals2017–20251086,0651,393602892,2558,320725
48Tony PollardactiveDallas Cowboys2019–20261166,0551,332342581,7877,842397
49Cedric BensonCincinnati Bengals2005–2012966,0211,601321208336,8543311
50Rudi JohnsonCincinnati Bengals2002–2008895,9911,517491136766,667518

Data: nflverse weekly player stats. Updated . Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 with credit to Neutral Zone Labs.