Twenty-five names make up the list of running backs who finished in the top 15 in rushing yards between 2001-03. Only six were in the top 15 each of those years:
| RBs in the top 15 in rushing each of the past three seasons (2001-03) |
| Player |
Team |
Rush |
Yards |
Avg./Carry |
Avg./Year |
| Priest Holmes |
K.C. |
960 |
4,590 |
4.78 |
1,530 |
| LaDainian Tomlinson |
S.D. |
1,024 |
4,564 |
4.45 |
1,521 |
| Ahman Green |
G.B. |
945 |
4,510 |
4.77 |
1,503 |
| Ricky Williams |
N.O./Mia. |
1,088 |
4,470 |
4.10 |
1,490 |
| Shaun Alexander |
Sea. |
930 |
3,928 |
4.22 |
1,309 |
| Curtis Martin |
NYJ |
917 |
3,915 |
4.26 |
1,305 |
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Clinton Portis, a rookie in 2002 and thus not on the list, projects to be the seventh player had he been in the league in '01. Portis finished among the top five in rushing his first two seasons, averaging 1,549 yards.
| RBs in the top 15 in rushing at least one season since 2001 |
| Player |
Team |
Just missed because ... |
| Tiki Barber |
NYG |
14th in 2003, seventh in '02; missed two games in '01, finished 19th. |
| Michael Bennett |
Min. |
27th in 2001, 11th in '02; missed eight games in '03 (foot injury). |
| Jerome Bettis |
Pit. |
14th in 2001; has failed to top 811 yards past two years. |
| Domanick Davis |
Hou. |
15th in 2003 as a rookie with the Texans. |
| Stephen Davis |
Was./Car. |
Seventh in 2003; played Fun' N' Gun with Washington in 2001-02. |
| Corey Dillon |
Cin. |
Seventh in '01, 10th in '02; shared time in '03: career-low 541 yards. |
| Marshall Faulk |
StL. |
Fifth in 2001, 23rd in '02; missed seven games in 2002-03 (hand/knee). |
| Eddie George |
Ten. |
15th in '03, 14th in '02; 17th in '01 with a career-low 939 yards. |
| Garrison Hearst |
S.F. |
10th in 2001, 21st in '02; missed four games in '03. |
| Travis Henry |
Buf. |
11th in '03, fifth in '02; played in 13 games as a rookie in '01. |
| Edgerrin James |
Ind. |
13th in '03, 18th in '02; played in only six games in '01 (knee injury). |
| Jamal Lewis |
Bal. |
First in '03, eighth in '02; missed '01 season (knee injury). |
| Deuce McAllister |
N.O. |
Fourth in '03, sixth in '02; finished with 16 carries as rookie in '01. |
| Clinton Portis |
Den. |
Fifth in 2003, fourth in '02; rookie with Denver in '02. |
| Dominic Rhodes |
Ind. |
13th in 2001; missed '02 season (knee injury); 157 yards in '03. |
| Antowain Smith |
N.E. |
12th in 2001, 19th in '02; missed three games in '03 (shoulder/neck). |
| Emmitt Smith |
Dal./Ari. |
15th in 2001, 20th in '02; missed six games in '03 (broken shoulder). |
| Fred Taylor |
Jac. |
Sixth in '03, ninth in '02; missed 14 games in '01 (groin injury). |
| Anthony Thomas |
Chi. |
11th in 2001, 16th in '03; missed four games in '02. |
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