Best Running Back Ever Tournament

Sup Y'all...

Time to start the first of the proposed "Best Ever" fantasy tournaments! I'm going to start this one off as a 16 player tournament. I have listed 23 awesome running backs in no particular order. Sooooo...7 will not make the final cut. I may have a play in "game". I'm going to seed the participants...suggestions are welcome. I'll post the participants in video format and list their stats. You can help decide the seeding by adding your comments. I'll start the first match in a few days. I'll place a polling system in the blog to decide the outcomes. Then we'll start the tournament. Let's go!

Barry Sanders




Career stats
Rushing Yards 15,269
Average 5.0
Touchdowns 109
Stats at NFL.com
Career highlights and awards

* 10× Pro Bowl selection (1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998)
* 6× First-Team All-Pro selection (1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997)
* 4× Second-Team All-Pro selection (1992, 1993, 1996, 1998)
* 1997 Co-NFL MVP
* 1997 NEA NFL MVP
* 1997 Co-PFWA NFL MVP
* 1989 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
* 1988 Heisman Trophy
* 2× NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1997, 1994)
* 2× Bert Bell Award (1997, 1991)
* Holds 10 Detroit Lions Team Records
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Jim Brown



Career stats
Rushing Yards 12,312
Average 5.2
Touchdowns 126
Stats at NFL.com
Career highlights and awards

* 9× Pro Bowl selection (1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965)
* 8× First-Team All-Pro selection (1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965)
* Second-Team All-Pro selection (1962)
* NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
* NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
* 3× NFL MVP (1957, 1958, 1965)
* 3× UPI NFL MVP (1958, 1963, 1965)
* 3× Pro Bowl MVP (1961, 1962, 1965)
* Lacrosse Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Walter Payton



Career stats
Rushing Yards 16,726
Average 4.4
Touchdowns 110
Stats at NFL.com
Career highlights and awards

* 9× Pro Bowl selection (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986)
* 6× First-team All-Pro selection (1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985)
* 3× Second-team All-Pro (1976, 1983, 1986)
* 1977 NFL MVP
* 1977 PFWA NFL MVP
* 1977 NEA NFL MVP
* 1985 UPI NFC Player of the Year
* 1977 UPI NFC Player of the Year
* 1978 Pro Bowl MVP
* Super Bowl XX Champion
* Chicago Bears #34 retired

Pro Football Hall of Fame



O.J. Simpson



Career stats
Rushing yards 11,236
Average 4.7
Rushing TDs 61
Stats at NFL.com
Career highlights and awards

* 6× Pro Bowl selection (1969, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976)
* 5× All-Pro selection (1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976)
* NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
* NFL 1970s All-Decade Team
* 1968 Heisman Trophy
* 1968 Maxwell Award
* 1968 UPI Player of the Year
* 1967 Walter Camp Award
* 1967 UPI Player of the Year
* 1973 NFL MVP
* 1973 NFL Offensive Player of the Year
* 1973 Bert Bell Award
* 1973 Pro Bowl MVP
* 3× UPI AFL-AFC Player of the Year (1972, 1973, 1975)
* 1973 AP Man Athlete of the Year
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Earl Campbell



Career highlights and awards

* 5× Pro Bowl selection (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983)
* 3× All-Pro selection (1978, 1979, 1980)
* 1978 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
* 1979 AP MVP
* 2× PFWA NFL MVP (1978, 1979)
* 3× NEA NFL MVP (1978, 1979, 1980)
* 3× NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1978, 1979, 1980)
* 1978 UPI AFL-AFC Player of the Year
* 1979 Bert Bell Award
* 2× All-American (1975, 1977)
* 1977 Heisman Trophy
* 1977 UPI Player of the Year
* 1977 TSN Player of the Year
* 1977 Harley Award Winner

Pro Football Hall of Fame

Emmitt Smith



Career stats
Rushing yards 18,355
Average 4.2
Rushing TDs 164
Stats at NFL.com
Career highlights and awards

* 8× Pro Bowl selection (1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999)
* 4× First-Team All-Pro selection (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995)
* Second-Team All-Pro selection (1991)
* NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
* 3× Super Bowl Champion (XXVII, XXVIII, XXX)
* 1993 NFL MVP
* 1990 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
* Super Bowl XXVIII MVP
* 2× NEA NFL MVP, (1991, 1992)
* 1993 PFWA NFL MVP
* Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor
* 1993 Bert Bell Award
* 5× Galloping Gobbler Award
* 1989 SEC Player of the Year
* Gator Football Ring of Honor
* Florida High School All-Century Team
* Florida High School Athletic Association Player of the Century

NFL Records

* 18,355 career rushing yards
* 164 career rushing TD's
* 78 100+ yards rushing games

Bo Jackson



Career stats
Rushing Yards 2,782
Average 5.4
Touchdowns 16
Stats at NFL.com
Career highlights and awards

* Pro Bowl selection (1990)
* 1985 Heisman Trophy
* 1985 Walter Camp Award
* 1985 UPI Player of the Year
* 1985 Chic Harley Award
* 2× All-American (1983, 1985)

Tony Dorsett



Career stats
Rushing yards 12,739
Average 4.3
Total Touchdowns 92
Stats at NFL.com
Career highlights and awards

* Super Bowl Champion (XII)
* 4× Pro Bowl selection (1978, 1981, 1982, 1983)
* 1× First-team All-Pro selection (1981)
* 2× Second-team All-Pro selection (1982, 1983)
* 3× First-team All-NFC (1978, 1981, 1982)
* 2× Second-team All-NFC (1977, 1983)
* 1976 Heisman Trophy Winner
* 1976 Maxwell Award Winner
* 1976 Walter Camp Award Winner
* 1976 UPI Player of the Year
* 1976 SN College Football Player of the Year
* 1976 Harley Award Winner
* 3× First-team All-American selection (1973, 1975,1976)
* 1× Second-team All-America selection (1974)
* Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor

Pro Football Hall of Fame

Marcus Allen



Career highlights and awards

* 6× Pro Bowl selection (1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1993)
* 2× First-team All-Pro selection (1982, 1985)
* 1× Second-team All-Pro selection (1984)
* 1985 NFL MVP
* 1982 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
* Super Bowl XVIII MVP
* 1985 NFL Offensive Player of the Year
* 1993 NFL Comeback Player of the Year
* 1981 Heisman Trophy
* 1981 Maxwell Award
* 1981 Walter Camp Award
* 1981 TSN Player of the Year
* 1981 UPI Player of the Year
* 1981 Chic Harley Award

Ladanian Tomlinson



Career highlights and awards

* College awards and honors
* 5× Pro Bowl selection (2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
* 4× First-team All-Pro selection (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
* 2× Second-team All-Pro (2002, 2003)
* AP NFL MVP (2006)
* PFWA NFL MVP (2006)
* Co-Walter Payton M.O.Y (2006)
* Best NFL Player ESPY Award (2007)
* Best Record-Breaking Performance ESPY Award (2007)
* Best Male Athlete ESPY Award (2007)
* List of NFL records

Selected NFL statistics
(through Week 17 of the 2008 NFL season)
Rushing yards 11,760
Rushing average 4.4
Rushing TDs 126
Receptions 510
Receiving yards 3,801
Receiving TDs 15

Jerome Bettis



Career stats
Rushing Yards 13,662
Average 3.9
Total Touchdowns 94
Stats at NFL.com
Career highlights and awards

* 6× Pro Bowl selection (1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2004)
* 3× All-Pro selection (1993, 1996, 1997)
* 1993 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
* 1996 NFL Comeback Player of the Year
* 2001 Walter Payton Man of the Year
* Super Bowl XL Champion

Thurman Thomas



Career highlights and awards

* 5× Pro Bowl selection (1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993)
* 3× First-team All-Pro selection (1989, 1990, 1991)
* 2× Second-team All-Pro selection (1992, 1993)
* 5× First-team All-AFC (1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993)
* 1× Second-team All-AFC (1994)
* 1991 NFL MVP
* 1991 NEA NFL MVP
* 1991 PFWA NFL MVP
* 1992 NFL Offensive Player of the Year
* 1992 UPI AFL-AFC Offensive Player of the Year
* 2× All American (1985, 1987)
* NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
* Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame

Pro Football Hall of Fame

Curtis Martin



Career highlights and awards

* 5× Pro Bowl selection (1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2004)
* 2× First-team All-Pro selection (2001, 2004)
* 1× Second-team All-Pro selection (1999)
* 1995 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
* Led NFL in rushing yards in 2004 with 1,697
* Fourth-leading rusher of all time

Franco Harris



Career highlights and awards

* 9× Pro Bowl selection (1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980)
* 7× All-Pro selection (1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979)
* NFL 1970s All-Decade Team
* 4× Super Bowl Champion (IX, X, XIII, XIV)
* Super Bowl IX MVP
* 1972 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
* 1972 UPI AFL-AFC Rookie of the Year
* 1976 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award

Gale Sayers


Career highlights and awards

* 4× Pro Bowl selection (1965, 1966, 1967, 1969)
* 5× All-Pro selection (1965-1969)
* NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
* NFL 1960s All-Decade Team
* 1965 UPI NFL-NFC Rookie of the Year
* 3× Pro Bowl MVP (1969, 1967, 1966)
* Chicago Bears #40 retired

Marshall Faulk



Career highlights and awards

* 7× Pro Bowl selection (1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002)
* 3× First-team All-Pro selection (1999, 2000, 2001
* 3× Second-team All-Pro selection (1994, 1995, 1998)
* Super Bowl champion (XXXIV)
* 1× NFL MVP (2000)
* 2× PFWA NFL MVP (2000, 2001)
* 3× NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1999, 2000, 2001)
* 3× Daniel F. Reeves Memorial Award winner (1999, 2000, 2001)
* Bert Bell Award (2001)
* NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1994)
* UPI AFL-AFC Rookie of the Year (1994)
* Pro Bowl MVP (1994)
* Rams MVP (1999-2001)
* St. Louis Rams #28 retired
* 3× First-team All-American (1991, 1992, 1993)

John Riggins



Career highlights and awards

* Pro Bowl selection (1975)
* 1× All-Pro selection (1983)
* NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
* 70 Greatest Redskins
* Super Bowl XVII MVP
* Redskins' Ring of Fame
* 1978 NFL Comeback Player of the Year
* 1983 Bert Bell Award

Eric Dickerson



Career stats
Rushing Yards 13,259
Average 4.4
Touchdowns 96
Stats at NFL.com
Career highlights and awards

* 6× Pro Bowl selection (1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989)
* 5× First-team All-Pro selection (1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988)
* NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
* 1983 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year
* 1983 UPI NFL-NFC Rookie of the Year
* 1986 NFL Offensive Player of the Year
* 3× UPI NFC Offensive Player of the Year (1983, 1984, 1986)
* NFL Record 2,105 Rushing Yards in a Single Season
* St. Louis Rams #29 retired

Pro Football Hall of Fame


Roger Craig

Career stats
Rushing Yards 8,189
Average 4.1
Touchdowns 73
Stats at NFL.com
Career highlights and awards

* 4× Pro Bowl selection (1985, 1987, 1988, 1989)
* 4× All-Pro selection (1985, 1987, 1988, 1989)
* 3× Super Bowl champion (XIX, XXIII, XXIV)
* NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
* 1988 NFL Offensive Player of the Year
* 1988 UPI NFC Player of the Year

Ricky Watters



Career stats
Rushing yards 10,643
Average 4.1
Touchdowns 78
Stats at NFL.com
Career highlights and awards

* 5× Pro Bowl selection (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996)
* 3× All-Pro selection (1994, 1995, 1996)
* Super Bowl XXIX Champion

Edgerrin James



Career highlights and awards

* 4× Pro Bowl selection (1999, 2000, 2004, 2005)
* 2× First-team All-Pro selection (1999, 2000)
* 1× Second-team All-Pro selection (2004)
* AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1999)
* Led NFL with 1,553 rushing yards in 1999
* Led NFL with 1,709 rushing yards in 2000
* Colts career rushing yards (9,226)
* Colts career rushing touchdowns (64)

Selected NFL statistics
(through Week 17 of the 2008 NFL season)
Rushing yards 12,121
Rushing average 4.1
Rushing TDs 80
Receptions 430
Receiving yards 3,345
Receiving TDs 11

Priest Holmes



Career stats
Rushing yards 8,172
Average 4.6
Touchdowns 94
Stats at NFL.com
Career highlights and awards

* 3× Pro Bowl selection (2001, 2002, 2003)
* 3× All-Pro selection (2001, 2002, 2003)
* Super Bowl champion (XXXV)
* 2002 NFL Offensive Player of the Year
* Ed Block Courage Award (2004)

Terrell Davis



Career stats
Rushing Yards 7,607
Average 4.6
Touchdowns 60
Stats at NFL.com
Career highlights and awards

* 3× Pro Bowl selection (1996, 1997, 1998)
* 3× First-team All-Pro selection (1996, 1997, 1998)
* 2× Super Bowl champion (XXXII, XXXIII)
* NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
* 1998 NFL MVP
* 1998 PFWA NFL MVP
* 2× NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1996, 1998)
* 1996 UPI AFL-AFC Player of the Year
* 1997 Super Bowl MVP