<Tr> <Td> * </Td> <Td> Denotes player who is still active in the NFL </Td> </Tr> <P> Through end of 2017 season . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Rank </Th> <Th> Player </Th> <Th> Team (s) by season </Th> <Th> Carries </Th> <Th> Yards </Th> <Th> Average </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Emmitt Smith </Td> <Td> Dallas Cowboys (1990--2002) Arizona Cardinals (2003--2004) </Td> <Td> 4,409 </Td> <Td> 18,355 </Td> <Td> 4.2 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Walter Payton </Td> <Td> Chicago Bears (1975--1987) </Td> <Td> 3,838 </Td> <Td> 16,726 </Td> <Td> 4.4 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Barry Sanders </Td> <Td> Detroit Lions (1989--1998) </Td> <Td> 3,062 </Td> <Td> 15,269 </Td> <Td> 5.0 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Curtis Martin </Td> <Td> New England Patriots (1995--1997) New York Jets (1998--2005) </Td> <Td> 3,518 </Td> <Td> 14,101 </Td> <Td> 4.0 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> Frank Gore </Td> <Td> San Francisco 49ers (2005--2014) Indianapolis Colts (2015--2017) Miami Dolphins (2018--present) </Td> <Td> 3,226 </Td> <Td> 14,026 </Td> <Td> 4.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> LaDanian Tomlinson </Td> <Td> San Diego Chargers (2001--2009) New York Jets (2010--2011) </Td> <Td> 3,174 </Td> <Td> 13,684 </Td> <Td> 4.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> Jerome Bettis </Td> <Td> St. Louis / L.A. Rams (1993--1995) Pittsburgh Steelers (1996--2005) </Td> <Td> 3,479 </Td> <Td> 13,662 </Td> <Td> 3.9 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> Eric Dickerson </Td> <Td> Los Angeles Rams (1983--1987) Indianapolis Colts (1987--1991) Los Angeles Raiders (1992) Atlanta Falcons (1993) </Td> <Td> 2,996 </Td> <Td> 13,259 </Td> <Td> 4.4 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 9 </Td> <Td> Tony Dorsett </Td> <Td> Dallas Cowboys (1977--1987) Denver Broncos (1988) </Td> <Td> 2,936 </Td> <Td> 12,739 </Td> <Td> 4.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> Jim Brown </Td> <Td> Cleveland Browns (1957--1965) </Td> <Td> 2,359 </Td> <Td> 12,312 </Td> <Td> 5.2 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 11 </Td> <Td> Marshall Faulk </Td> <Td> Indianapolis Colts (1994--1998) St. Louis Rams (1999--2005) </Td> <Td> 2,836 </Td> <Td> 12,279 </Td> <Td> 4.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 12 </Td> <Td> Adrian Peterson </Td> <Td> Minnesota Vikings (2007--2016) New Orleans Saints (2017) Arizona Cardinals (2017) </Td> <Td> 2,574 </Td> <Td> 12,276 </Td> <Td> 4.8 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 13 </Td> <Td> Edgerrin James </Td> <Td> Indianapolis Colts (1999--2005) Arizona Cardinals (2006--2008) Seattle Seahawks (2009) </Td> <Td> 3,028 </Td> <Td> 12,246 </Td> <Td> 4.0 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 13 </Td> <Td> Marcus Allen </Td> <Td> Los Angeles Raiders (1982--1992) Kansas City Chiefs (1993--1997) </Td> <Td> 3,022 </Td> <Td> 12,243 </Td> <Td> 4.1 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> Franco Harris </Td> <Td> Pittsburgh Steelers (1972--1983) Seattle Seahawks (1984) </Td> <Td> 2,949 </Td> <Td> 12,120 </Td> <Td> 4.1 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> Thurman Thomas </Td> <Td> Buffalo Bills (1988--1999) Miami Dolphins (2000) </Td> <Td> 2,877 </Td> <Td> 12,074 </Td> <Td> 4.2 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 17 </Td> <Td> Fred Taylor </Td> <Td> Jacksonville Jaguars (1998--2008) New England Patriots (2009--2010) </Td> <Td> 2,534 </Td> <Td> 11,695 </Td> <Td> 4.6 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Steven Jackson </Td> <Td> St. Louis Rams (2004--2012) Atlanta Falcons (2013--2014) New England Patriots (2015) </Td> <Td> 2,764 </Td> <Td> 11,438 </Td> <Td> 4.1 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 19 </Td> <Td> John Riggins </Td> <Td> New York Jets (1971--1975) Washington Redskins (1976--1985) </Td> <Td> 2,916 </Td> <Td> 11,352 </Td> <Td> 3.9 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 20 </Td> <Td> Corey Dillon </Td> <Td> Cincinnati Bengals (1997--2003) New England Patriots (2004--2006) </Td> <Td> 2,618 </Td> <Td> 11,241 </Td> <Td> 4.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 21 </Td> <Td> O.J. Simpson </Td> <Td> Buffalo Bills (1969--1977) San Francisco 49ers (1978--1979) </Td> <Td> 2,404 </Td> <Td> 11,236 </Td> <Td> 4.7 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> Warrick Dunn </Td> <Td> Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1997--2001) Atlanta Falcons (2002--2007) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2008) </Td> <Td> 2,669 </Td> <Td> 10,967 </Td> <Td> 4.1 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 23 </Td> <Td> Ricky Watters </Td> <Td> San Francisco 49ers (1992--1994) Philadelphia Eagles (1995--1997) Seattle Seahawks (1998--2001) </Td> <Td> 2,622 </Td> <Td> 10,643 </Td> <Td> 4.1 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 24 </Td> <Td> Jamal Lewis </Td> <Td> Baltimore Ravens (2000--2006) Cleveland Browns (2007--2009) </Td> <Td> 2,542 </Td> <Td> 10,607 </Td> <Td> 4.2 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 25 </Td> <Td> Thomas Jones </Td> <Td> Arizona Cardinals (2000--2002) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2003) Chicago Bears (2004--2006) New York Jets (2007--2009) Kansas City Chiefs (2010--2011) </Td> <Td> 2,678 </Td> <Td> 10,591 </Td> <Td> 4.0 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 26 </Td> <Td> Tiki Barber </Td> <Td> New York Giants (1997--2006) </Td> <Td> 2,217 </Td> <Td> 10,449 </Td> <Td> 4.7 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 27 </Td> <Td> Eddie George </Td> <Td> Houston Oilers / Tennessee Titans (1996--2003) Dallas Cowboys (2004) </Td> <Td> 2,865 </Td> <Td> 10,441 </Td> <Td> 3.6 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 28 </Td> <Td> Ottis Anderson </Td> <Td> St. Louis Cardinals (1979--1986) New York Giants (1986--1992) </Td> <Td> 2,562 </Td> <Td> 10,273 </Td> <Td> 4.0 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 29 </Td> <Td> LeSean McCoy </Td> <Td> Philadelphia Eagles (2009--2014) Buffalo Bills (2015--present) </Td> <Td> 2,185 </Td> <Td> 10,092 </Td> <Td> 4.6 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 30 </Td> <Td> Ricky Williams </Td> <Td> New Orleans Saints (1999--2001) Miami Dolphins (2002--2003), (2005--2010) Baltimore Ravens (2011) </Td> <Td> 2,431 </Td> <Td> 10,009 </Td> <Td> 4.1 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 31 </Td> <Td> Marshawn Lynch </Td> <Td> Buffalo Bills (2007--2010) Seattle Seahawks (2010--2015) Oakland Raiders (2017--present) </Td> <Td> 2,251 </Td> <Td> 10,003 </Td> <Td> 4.3 </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Rank </Th> <Th> Player </Th> <Th> Team (s) by season </Th> <Th> Carries </Th> <Th> Yards </Th> <Th> Average </Th> </Tr>

Who is the leading rusher in the nfl