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Year-by-Year All-Purpose Yards Leaders

Football Leaders & Football Records : Single-Season  · Career  · Active  · Year-by-Year
For some seasons (1960-1969 & 1947-1950) leaders for both leagues are shown.

 Year  Player (age), + - HOFer, Bold - Active APYd Teams
2009  Darren Sproles (26) 1,641 SDG
2008  Leon Washington (26) 2,337 NYJ
2007  Josh Cribbs (24) 2,312 CLE
2006  Steven Jackson (23) 2,334 STL
2005  Tiki Barber (30) 2,390 NYG
2004  Dante Hall (26) 2,236 KAN
2003  Dante Hall (25) 2,446 KAN
2002  Michael Lewis (31) 2,647 NOR
2001  Priest Holmes (28) 2,169 KAN
2000  Derrick Mason (26) 2,690 TEN
1999  Marshall Faulk (26) 2,429 STL
1998  Brian Mitchell (30) 2,357 WAS
1997  Barry Sanders+ (29) 2,358 DET
1996  Brian Mitchell (28) 1,995 WAS
1995  Brian Mitchell (27) 2,348 WAS
1994  Brian Mitchell (26) 2,477 WAS
1993  Eric Metcalf (25) 1,932 CLE
1992  Thurman Thomas+ (26) 2,113 BUF
1991  Thurman Thomas+ (25) 2,038 BUF
1990  Herschel Walker (28) 2,051 MIN
1989  Thurman Thomas+ (23) 1,913 BUF
1988  Tim Brown (22) 2,317 RAI
1987  Herschel Walker (25) 1,606 DAL
1986  Eric Dickerson+ (26) 2,026 RAM
1985  Lionel James (23) 2,535 SDG
1984  Eric Dickerson+ (24) 2,244 RAM
1983  Eric Dickerson+ (23) 2,212 RAM
1982  James Brooks (24) 1,383 SDG
1981  James Brooks (23) 2,093 SDG
1980  Bruce Harper (25) 2,072 NYJ
1979  Wilbert Montgomery (25) 2,012 PHI
1978  Bruce Harper (23) 2,157 NYJ
1977  Walter Payton+ (23) 2,216 CHI
1976  O.J. Simpson+ (29) 1,762 BUF
1975  Terry Metcalf (24) 2,439 STL
1974  Mack Herron (26) 2,444 NWE
1973  O.J. Simpson+ (26) 2,073 BUF
1972  Dave Hampton (25) 1,774 ATL
1971  Vic Washington (25) 1,986 SFO
1970  Ed Podolak (23) 1,715 KAN
1969  Jerry LeVias (23) 1,946 HOU
Travis Williams (23) 1,517 GNB
1968  Floyd Little (26) 1,825 DEN
Chuck Latourette (23) 1,597 STL
1967  Gale Sayers+ (24) 1,689 CHI
Floyd Little (25) 1,604 DEN
1966  Gale Sayers+ (23) 2,440 CHI
Jim Nance (24) 1,561 BOS
1965  Gale Sayers+ (22) 2,272 CHI
Lance Alworth+ (25) 1,590 SDG
1964  Jim Brown+ (28) 1,786 CLE
Bo Roberson (29) 1,615 OAK
1963  Timmy Brown (26) 2,425 PHI
Larry Garron (26) 1,884 BOS
1962  Timmy Brown (25) 2,306 PHI
Dick Christy (27) 2,147 NYT
1961  Billy Cannon (24) 2,043 HOU
Jim Brown+ (25) 1,917 CLE
1960  Abner Haynes (23) 2,100 DTX
Jim Brown+ (24) 1,761 CLE
1959  Jim Brown+ (23) 1,607 CLE
1958  Jim Brown+ (22) 1,739 CLE
1957  Woodley Lewis (32) 1,281 CRD
1956  Ollie Matson+ (26) 1,524 CRD
1955  Ron Waller (22) 1,465 RAM
1954  Ollie Matson+ (24) 1,666 CRD
1953  Lynn Chandnois (28) 1,593 PIT
1952  Hugh McElhenny+ (24) 1,731 SFO
1951  Elroy Hirsch+ (28) 1,498 RAM
1950  Billy Grimes (23) 1,896 GNB
1949  Charlie Trippi+ (27) 1,552 CRD
Chet Mutryn (28) 1,330 BUF
1948  Chet Mutryn (27) 2,288 BUF
Charlie Trippi+ (26) 1,485 CRD
1947  Spec Sanders (29) 2,202 NYY
Eddie Saenz (25) 1,846 WAS
1946  Spec Sanders (28) 1,620 NYY
Bill Dudley+ (27) 1,378 PIT
1945  Steve Van Buren+ (25) 1,482 PHI
1944  John Grigas (24) 1,154 CRD
1943  Harry Clarke (27) 1,575 CHI
1942  Bill Dudley+ (23) 1,289 PIT
1941  Marshall Goldberg (24) 1,182 CRD
1940  Dick Todd (26) 810 WAS
1939  Andy Farkas (23) 984 WAS
1938  Whizzer White (21) 655 PIT
1937  Cliff Battles+ (27) 955 WAS
1936  Ace Gutowsky (27) 857 DET
1935  Ernie Caddel (24) 621 DET
1934  Beattie Feathers (26) 1,178 CHI
1933  Cliff Battles+ (23) 922 BOS
1932  Cliff Battles+ (22) 636 BOS