Impossible to rank RBs IMO. You have to categorize them by most dominant, most statistical dominance, best in their prime, longevity, impact on winning, most diverse, and I think those are all of them.
Barry Sanders was the most fun running back to watch. he was the reason the juke and spin buttons were created on video games.
I loved it when he just used pure stop and start ability to beat people. Run super fast, stop on a dime, run again. Their angle is all wring and he flies past them.
Barry was my favorite football player of all time. Most spectacular runner ever, poor offensive line, retired while still in prime. A guy I'm surprised wasn't honorably mentioned was Priest Holmes. The line of succession of top running backs in the NFL went Sanders, Faulk, Holmes, LT, and now Peterson.
Barry was best. Allen, Dorset, and Sayers all deserves to be in front of Adrian "Potential" Peterson. Let him actually achieve it first... everyone else on that list did.
You could probably throw a Red Grange, Franco Harris, Paul Hornung or Jim Thorpe in there for history's sake; but I guess this list is okay. At least you didn't put Sanders at the top: all-time leader in lost yardage and I'm pretty sure he didn't memorize a single play.
I would loved to have know two things.... How would Sanders have gone behind those dominant offensive lines the Cowboys had in the 90's. And... What he would have done had he played out an entire career and not finished up early. I think had he played on, even just a few more season, it would have been no question who was the best.
??????????? WTH? The fact that he did so well with the Lions porous Offensive line is a testament to his great running ability Did you ever really WATCH him play or look up some silly statistics? Rocket River When the initial contact with the defense happens BEHIND THE LINE more often than not . .. . then that is not the running back's fault
Barry was a ****ing beast. I remember playing Madden and always choosing the Lions just because of him. Dude was sick. His speed and agility was amazing.
I never saw guys like Brown or even Dickerson play...but I remember watching mesmerized when I saw Barry Sanders play. I heard an interview on the radio one day with a former Texan (I think it was Kailee Wong) who mentioned that when he was on a different team, there was only one team they ever played where the coaches didn't even bother to track missed tackles, and that was the Lions. He said it was unheard of for the coaches to not keep track of the defensive missed tackles, but Barry caused them so frequently, NO ONE felt bad when they whiffed on that dude. He was that elusive. I really, really, REALLY hated it that he retired so early and freaking Emmit Smith managed to take the all time yardage mark.
Except for Peterson, I think that list was pretty good. Missing some old school guys, and I would have switched Faulk and Earl, but overall pretty ok. One name that rarely gets mentioned, though, is Mr. Bo Jackson. 2,782 in four season as bacially a backup to Marcus Allen? That's pretty sick. Imagine what he could have done if he'd been the primary running back and NOT gotten injured.
The guy that won't get any mention here is Billy Sims. His career was shortened by injury and he played right before Barry Sanders on the Lions, who totally eclipsed and erased any memory of him. Sims was an incredibly talented physical-freak of a player who would have been a top 5 all-time RB if his career had been longer.
Barry Sanders is the best I've ever seen... My favorite guy for youtube (never saw him play) has to be Bo Jackson. His yards per carry are pretty impressive. If he would have done football fulltime his stats would be pretty impressive....
