Top 3 Runningbacks you've seen

[johnsmith]

Now, like the quarterbacks one, I'm 26 years old so I never got to see Jim Brown play, other then old ESPN highlights. Having said that my top 3 that I've SEEN:

Barry Sanders
Walter Payton
Hate to say it, Emmitt.

Honarable mention
Terrell Davis
Thurman Thomas
Bo Jackson (Hard to keep him off the top three)
Marshall Faulk (when he was young)
Priest Holmes (for a while)

Now, having said that, it's obvious that an NFL runningback is made by his offensive line, they are the ones that get the first 3-4 yards for the runner and then it's up to him. Going by those standards, hands down, Barry Sanders is the greatest I've seen.

[sa_butta]

1.Barry Sanders
2.Bo Jackson
3.Walter Payton

Are the best that Ive seen.

[FromWayDowntown]

Priest Holmes (for a while)

He's certainly the best runningback I ever blocked for.

Dude may not have ever been the best back in football, but he's been my favorite since about 1989, when he was a sophomore in high school, and to see him end up with the career that he's had has been a lot of fun.

[Mr Dio]

1) Emmitt
2) The Tyler Rose
3) Eric Dickerson

Barry Sanders, I'm not saying he wasn't a great RB BUT I hear so much about how he woulda/shoulda/coulda IF he had a better o-line and barely a soul mentions how many negative runs he had because he liked to freelance so much.

I was thiiiiiiiiiiiis close to putting Bo up there with Earl as 2a & 2b.

Walter, man! Yeah he was a great one. Maybe he should replace Eric on the list?

[TheTruth]

I never got to see Walter Payton or Eric Dickerson, so these are only backs from the past 15 years or so.

1) Barry Sanders - Dude made my jaw drop so many damn times.
2) Marshall Faulk - Best multi purpose back I have ever seen.
3) Emmitt Smith - Damn I hate the Cowboys.

H. Mention
T DAVIS!!!
M. Anderson
C. Portis
R. Droughns
Q. Griffith
T. Bell

[Obstructed_View]

I answered the QB question with QBs I've actually seen play live at the game, I'll answer the RB question with guys that I thought were incredible, regardless of longevity or success.

3. Barry Sanders - Yeah, I wouldn't pick him for a team that I actually wanted to win, but for pure fun to watch, you can't top him. I remember a run that he made where he got into the secondary and ran up the back of the DB, who couldn't turn around because Barry would zigzag whatever direction the guy tried to go. At full speed it was comical, not to mention brilliant.

2. Bo Jackson - He'd have broken every record if he hadn't gotten hurt and would have been in the hall of fame for two sports. The greatest athlete I ever saw.

3. Jim Brown - The man never went out of bounds in his career, and put up his numbers in only nine seasons of no more than 14 games each. It took great players like Payton and Emmitt much longer to break his record. If Fucking M. Cocksucker (aka Art Modell) hadn't ended his career, he'd have set records that would stand for 30 more years.

[valluco]

1. Sweetness
2. Sanders
3. Emmitt

Honorable Mentions:
Eric Dickerson, Bo Jackson, Earl Campbell, Marshall Faulk, LaDainian Tomlinson, Terrell Davis, Eddie George and Priest Holmes

[Horry For 3!]

1. Emmitt Smith
2. Barry Sanders
3. Walter Payton

[JealousOnesNV]

Payton
Marcus Allen
Dickerson
Barry was my dawg but he wasnt a complete back IMO. He wasnt a very good blocker or receiver out of the backfield. And he wasnt the guy you wanted in short yardage situations.

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

Barry Sanders is the best pure running back I have ever seen. Then, Bo and Emmitt.

[mookie2001]

what a stupid thread


barry sanders
priest holmes when he set the TD records
courtney lewis

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Bo Malette

[2centsworth]

1. Barry Sanders
2. Emmitt
3. Dickerson

[TheSanityAnnex]

one's i've actually seen I'd have to say

Barry Sanders
Bo Jackson
LaDanian Tomlinson

[RealEstateDude]

walter payton
barry sanders
emmitt smith

[Thomas82]

The top 3 that I have seen for their whole careers are:

1. Emmitt Smith
2. Barry Sanders
3. Marshall Faulk

[stretch]

1.Barry Sanders
2.Bo Jackson
3.Walter Payton

Are the best that Ive seen.

:tu

[stretch]

I'm shocked at how many people don't have Bo on their lists. I think there is no question he should be on every list. The guy had otherwordly athleticism.

[MiamiHeat]

1. Barry Sanders

[Dr. Gonzo]

Barry
Walter Payton
Bo Jackson in Tecmo Bowl

[samikeyp]

Payton
Emmitt
Barry

[ATRAIN]

Barry
Walter Payton
Bo Jackson in Tecmo Bowl

Bo in Tecmo was BAD ASS!!

[Thunder Dan]

Eddie George
Barry Sanders
Maurice Clarett


I'm not joking about Clarett either. Obviously I'm speaking in college terms, but he was a guy that whenever they handed the ball to him I thought he would take it to the house. He was unbelievable before he went insane

[DBryant88]

walter payotn
emmitt smith
barry sanders

sanders would have been ranked high but he wasn't a short yardage or goalline runner like the other two

[Thunder Dan]

Barry was like my idol growing up. The Lions were my favorite team (no Browns 95-99) when I was younger. Anyway, my dad gave me his tickets to the Hall of Fame dinner the year Elway and Sanders went in, and I had really good seats right next to the stage and a table from the main table. I was sitting with Woody Paige. Anyway, Barry Sanders came over and started talking to this guy at the table next to us and I was literally a foot away from him. I started acting like a little girl. I was like holy shit, I don't know what to do. My girlfriend was like say something to him, shake his hand, and I was like "no I can't do that." This was my idol growing up. I loved this guy. I knew it was tacky to ask for an autograph, so I didn't know what to do. So he turns around to walk away, and I say the stupidest shit ever, I say "Good Job..." and he looks at me like, 'what the fuck?" and I'm quickly say "Great job on getting into the Hall of Fame" and he just smiled and thanked me. I felt like such a douche bag- it was the worst. I never got an autograph just embarrassment.

[manufan10]

1. Emmitt
2. Barry
3. Tomlinson

Honorable Mention:
1. Marshal Faulk
2. Eddie George
3. Adrian Peterson
4. Marion Barber (I love how he runs over/stiff arms people)
5. Thurman Thomas

[stretch]

I will say, I love the way Peterson runs, and he is definitely one of the most exciting RBs I've seen in a long time. I think he could very easily end up on that list. To me, he's like the Randy Moss of RBs... a massive breakaway run just waiting to happen on any given play.

[monosylab1k]

1. Johnny Johnson
2. Eric Metcalf
3. Christian Okoye