The 25 best running backs of the 2010s

It will be surprising to some that Johnson isn't a little higher on this list. In 2016 he had one of the best seasons for a running back in recent memory, accumulating a league-high 2,118 yards from scrimmage, including at least 100 yards in the first 15 games of the year. But since then injuries have slowed him, and he's averaging 3.6 yards per attempt. Still, Johnson's All-Pro 2016 season was enough to land him on the list.

Williams didn't post a 1,000-yard season in this decade mostly due to the fact he shared the backfield with another player on our list. In 2015 Williams rejuvenated his career with the Steelers, filling in for the suspended and injured Le'Veon Bell for 10 games. Williams recorded at least 730 rushing yards in a season four times during the 2010s, and he ended the decade with 4,246 rushing yards.

The 32-year-old has been a bit of a journeyman, playing for five different teams this decade. But he's rushed for more than 1,000 yards in a season twice, and he led the league with 18 rushing touchdowns in 2016. Winning three Super Bowls helps earn you a spot on this list too.

The 32-year-old has yet to post a 1,000-yard season this decade, and judging by the fact he had only six rushing attempt last season, he's probably going to end the 2010s without one. But Stewart posted 5,366 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns in the decade. His best season came in 2015, which was the year after Williams departed, when he rushed for 989 yards and six touchdowns for the 15-1 Panthers.

It's hard to rank Sproles. He's rushed for only 2,599 yards this decade, but everyone knows he's far more than just a running back. Sproles has nearly as many receptions (460) as carries (516) since 2010, and he has 3,936 receiving yards. This decade, Sproles has also led the league in punt return yardage twice. He made the Pro Bowl three times, from 2014-16.

With a 3.5 yards per carry average and zero touchdowns, his rookie season was a major disappointment, but Gordon has answered all his doubters since then. He's posted 2,987 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns over the last three years. Last season he rushed for only 885 yards, but that came in 12 games. Gordon averaged a career-best 5.1 yards per carry in 2018.

The former Heisman Trophy winner is another example of a highly regarded college back getting off to a slow start in the NFL. In his first three seasons, Ingram ran for more than 600 yards in a season just once. But since then he has a pair of 1,000-yard rushing years and 4,545 yards on the ground in five years. Ingram's best season came in 2017 when he posted 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns.

It wasn't too long ago that Freeman was regarded as a top-five back in the league. Unfortunately, injuries have slowed him over the last couple of years and prevented him from running for more than 865 yards in a season. But from 2015-16, he posted more than 1,000 rushing yards, 1,500 yards from scrimmage and at least 13 touchdowns each season.

The 30-year-old has failed to rush for 500 yards in four of his seven seasons in the NFL. But twice he rushed for more than 1,400 yards, and as a rookie in 2012 Martin posted 1,926 yards from scrimmage. In 2015 he finished second in the league in rushing and earned a spot on the All-Pro Team. Across the decade, Martin has posted 5,356 rushing yards and 32 total touchdowns.

Morris peaked as a rookie, rushing for 1,613 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2012. But he still turned in two more 1,000-yard seasons and recorded at least 800 yards from scrimmage in four seasons this decade. With the Redskins, Cowboys and 49ers, Morris has 5,931 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns in the 2010s.

The 23-year-old was on his way to two straight special years to begin his NFL career before the Chiefs cut him following his involvement with a woman in a domestic dispute. In 27 games Hunt has 2,151 rushing yards, 2,984 yards from scrimmage and 25 touchdowns. He'll get the chance to continue his career with the Browns, but he'll miss the first eight games of 2019 because of a suspension.

Jackson never led the league in rushing and never made the All-Pro team. He also posted many of his best seasons in the previous decade, which robbed him of a chance at the top 10 on this list. But Jackson was still one of the best runners of the 2010s. He posted 1,000-yard rushing seasons in each of the first three years of the decade. Overall, he ran for 4,731 yards and 28 touchdowns playing for the Rams, Falcons and Patriots from 2010-15.

On a better team, Jones-Drew may have been able to flourish for longer than three seasons, but from 2009-11, he was one of the best backs in the league. During this decade, he earned two Pro Bowl nominations and an All-Pro bid. In 2011 Jones-Drew led the league with 1,606 rushing yards and 386 touches.

Murray is another back who put together three strong seasons during his career and led the league in rushing once. He amassed an incredible 449 touches in 2014 on his way to 1,845 rushing yards and 2,261 yards from scrimmage. Murray made the All-Pro team and Pro Bowl that year. He also made the Pro Bowl in 2013 and 2016, the last of which with the Titans. Murray rushed for 7,174 yards and 49 touchdowns with the Cowboys, Eagles and Titans in the 2010s.

Unfortunately for Johnson, his 2,000-yard season came in 2009, so it just missed the cut for counting on this list. Still, "CJ2K" comes in at No. 11 because of four straight 1,000-yard seasons to begin the decade. From 2010-13, Johnson rushed for 4,731 yards and 27 touchdowns. Over the entire decade, he posted 6,417 rushing yards and 7,909 yards from scrimmage with the Titans, Jets and Cardinals from 2010-17.

Some readers are probably going to argue this is too high for Forte. He's another back who never led the league in rushing and never made All-Pro. But from 2010-17, Forte averaged 1,419 yards from scrimmage per season. Yes, that was his average. He was Le'Veon Bell when Bell was at Michigan State. With the Bears and Jets, Forte posted 7,629 rushing yards and 11,353 yards from scrimmage from 2010-17.

He'll go down as one of the best power backs in history, and in this decade Lynch has carried the ball 1,791 times for 7,778 yards. And that's with missing the 2016 season because of retirement. Lynch was an underrated pass-catcher in his prime too. In 2012, he made the All-Pro team with 1,590 rushing yards and 1,786 yards from scrimmage. He also posted at least 1,500 yards from scrimmage during 2013 and 2014 when the Seahawks went to two Super Bowls.

Foster timed his career perfectly for this list, breaking out with 1,616 yards, leading the league in rushing, in 2010. In just a three-year period, from 2010-12, he posted 5,702 yards from scrimmage and 47 touchdowns. Injuries hurt Foster later in his career, but he did record 1,246 rushing yards in 2014. Overall, Foster registered 6,270 rushing yards and 8,523 yards from scrimmage playing for the Texans and Dolphins from 2010-16.

Including last season when Bell sat out because of a contract dispute, the two-time All-Pro has missed 34 games in his six-year career. That's the equivalent of more than two seasons. If he had played in those games, Bell is easily in the top five on this list and maybe close to the top. As it is, he has 5,336 rushing yards and nearly 8,000 yards from scrimmage since coming into the league in 2013. During his career, he's averaged 128.9 yards from scrimmage per game.

The 2016 All-Pro had his own issue staying on the field because of a suspension in 2017, but despite that Elliott has 4,048 rushing yards and led the league in rushing twice in three years. He's averaged 101.2 rushing yards per game during his career and led the NFL in that category each of the last three years. It's a smaller sample size, but Elliott has also posted 131.2 yards from scrimmage per game in his three seasons. 

In three of his four NFL seasons, Gurley has rushed for more than 1,100 yards and at least 10 touchdowns. He's been named All-Pro and led the NFL in rushing touchdowns during each of the last two years too. That lands him in the top five during the decade. Gurley has rushed for 4,547 rushing yards and recorded 6,430 yards from scrimmage with 56 touchdowns.

Charles may have to wait awhile to get into the Hall of Fame because despite an 11-year career, his prime was rather short. However, from 2010-14 he was the best all-purpose back in the league. He posted more than 1,900 yards from scrimmage twice, in 2010 and 2013. In both seasons, he made All-Pro. Charles also ran for 1,509 yards in 2012 and 1,033 yards in 2014. Overall, Charles recorded 8,110 yards from scrimmage during the decade with the Chiefs, Broncos and Jaguars from 2010-18.

During recent years, he's become somewhat forgotten in Buffalo, but McCoy has both All-Pro seasons and multiple 1,000-yard campaigns to his credit this decade. In 2011 and 2013, he made All-Pro, and in 2013 he posted 2,146 yards from scrimmage. In an era that de-emphasizes the workhorse back, McCoy has nearly amassed 10,000 rushing yards and more than 13,000 yards from scrimmage this decade. He has six 1,000-yard seasons and six Pro Bowl nominations with the Eagles and Bills during the 2010s.

Many argued that when Gore suffered a season-ending injury at the beginning of December in 2010, his best days were behind him. That couldn't have been further from the truth. While Gore has never led the league in rushing or made All-Pro, his consistency lands him at No. 2. Since missing the last five games of 2010, Gore has sat out just two games over the last eight years. During the decade, he has posted 9,187 yards — five 1,000-yard seasons — and 56 touchdowns.

The 34-year-old made All-Pro twice, in 2008 and 2009, but he added two more All-Pro nominations during 2012 and 2015. In 2012 he was just a mere few yards away from the single-season rushing record with 2,097 yards. During that year, Peterson won league MVP — the last running back to do so. Peterson missed all but one game in 2014 because of a child abuse case, but he returned to lead the NFL in rushing during 2015. His career ended on a sad note in Minnesota, but Peterson regained his form with another 1,000-yard season with Washington in 2018. During the decade, he has 8,834 rushing yards — five 1,000-yard seasons — and 71 touchdowns.