| Year | Player (age), + - HOFer, Bold - Active | Att | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Steven Jackson (26) | 215 | STL |
| 2008 | Michael Turner (26) | 376 | ATL |
| 2007 | Clinton Portis (26) | 325 | WAS |
| 2006 | Larry Johnson (27) | 416 | KAN |
| 2005 | Shaun Alexander (28) | 370 | SEA |
| 2004 | Curtis Martin (31) | 371 | NYJ |
| 2003 | Ricky Williams (26) | 392 | MIA |
| 2002 | Ricky Williams (25) | 383 | MIA |
| 2001 | Stephen Davis (27) | 356 | WAS |
| 2000 | Eddie George (27) | 403 | TEN |
| 1999 | Edgerrin James (21) | 369 | IND |
| 1998 | Jamal Anderson (26) | 410 | ATL |
| 1997 | Jerome Bettis (25) | 375 | PIT |
| 1996 | Ricky Watters (27) | 353 | PHI |
| 1995 | Emmitt Smith (26) | 377 | DAL |
| 1994 | Emmitt Smith (25) | 368 | DAL |
| 1993 | Thurman Thomas+ (27) | 355 | BUF |
| 1992 | Barry Foster (24) | 390 | PIT |
| 1991 | Emmitt Smith (22) | 365 | DAL |
| 1990 | Earnest Byner (28) | 297 | WAS |
| 1989 | Christian Okoye (28) | 370 | KAN |
| 1988 | Eric Dickerson+ (28) | 388 | IND |
| 1987 | Charles White (29) | 324 | RAM |
| 1986 | Eric Dickerson+ (26) | 404 | RAM |
| 1985 | Gerald Riggs (25) | 397 | ATL |
| 1984 | James Wilder (26) | 407 | TAM |
| 1983 | Eric Dickerson+ (23) | 390 | RAM |
| 1982 | John Riggins+ (33) | 177 | WAS |
| Andra Franklin (23) | 177 | MIA | |
| Tony Dorsett+ (28) | 177 | DAL | |
| 1981 | George Rogers (23) | 378 | NOR |
| 1980 | Earl Campbell+ (25) | 373 | HOU |
| 1979 | Walter Payton+ (25) | 369 | CHI |
| 1978 | Walter Payton+ (24) | 333 | CHI |
| 1977 | Walter Payton+ (23) | 339 | CHI |
| 1976 | Walter Payton+ (22) | 311 | CHI |
| 1975 | O.J. Simpson+ (28) | 329 | BUF |
| 1974 | O.J. Simpson+ (27) | 270 | BUF |
| 1973 | O.J. Simpson+ (26) | 332 | BUF |
| 1972 | Ron A. Johnson (25) | 298 | NYG |
| 1971 | Floyd Little (29) | 284 | DEN |
| 1970 | Ron A. Johnson (23) | 263 | NYG |
| 1969 | Gale Sayers+ (26) | 236 | CHI |
| Jim Nance (27) | 193 | BOS | |
| 1968 | Leroy Kelly+ (26) | 248 | CLE |
| Paul Robinson (24) | 238 | CIN | |
| 1967 | Jim Nance (25) | 269 | BOS |
| Leroy Kelly+ (25) | 235 | CLE | |
| 1966 | Jim Nance (24) | 299 | BOS |
| Bill Brown (28) | 251 | MIN | |
| 1965 | Jim Brown+ (29) | 289 | CLE |
| Cookie Gilchrist (30) | 252 | DEN | |
| 1964 | Jim Brown+ (28) | 280 | CLE |
| Cookie Gilchrist (29) | 230 | BUF | |
| 1963 | Jim Brown+ (27) | 291 | CLE |
| Cookie Gilchrist (28) | 232 | BUF | |
| 1962 | Jim Taylor+ (27) | 272 | GNB |
| Charley Tolar (25) | 244 | HOU | |
| 1961 | Jim Brown+ (25) | 305 | CLE |
| Bill Mathis (23) | 202 | NYT | |
| 1960 | Jim Taylor+ (25) | 230 | GNB |
| Abner Haynes (23) | 156 | DTX | |
| 1959 | Jim Brown+ (23) | 290 | CLE |
| 1958 | Jim Brown+ (22) | 257 | CLE |
| 1957 | Rick Casares (26) | 204 | CHI |
| 1956 | Rick Casares (25) | 234 | CHI |
| 1955 | Alan Ameche (22) | 213 | BAL |
| 1954 | Joe Perry+ (27) | 173 | SFO |
| 1953 | Joe Perry+ (26) | 192 | SFO |
| 1952 | Eddie Price (27) | 183 | NYG |
| 1951 | Eddie Price (26) | 271 | NYG |
| 1950 | Steve Van Buren+ (30) | 188 | PHI |
| Joe Geri (26) | 188 | PIT | |
| 1949 | Steve Van Buren+ (29) | 263 | PHI |
| Bob Hoernschemeyer (24) | 133 | CHH | |
| 1948 | Steve Van Buren+ (28) | 201 | PHI |
| Spec Sanders (30) | 169 | NYY | |
| 1947 | Spec Sanders (29) | 231 | NYY |
| Steve Van Buren+ (27) | 217 | PHI | |
| 1946 | Bill Dudley+ (27) | 146 | PIT |
| Spec Sanders (28) | 140 | NYY | |
| 1945 | Frank Akins (26) | 147 | WAS |
| 1944 | Bill Paschal (23) | 196 | NYG |
| 1943 | Bill Paschal (22) | 147 | NYG |
| 1942 | Bill Dudley+ (23) | 162 | PIT |
| 1941 | Clarke Hinkle+ (32) | 129 | GNB |
| 1940 | Whizzer White (23) | 146 | DET |
| 1939 | Andy Farkas (23) | 139 | WAS |
| 1938 | Whizzer White (21) | 152 | PIT |
| 1937 | Cliff Battles+ (27) | 216 | WAS |
| 1936 | Tuffy Leemans+ (24) | 206 | NYG |
| 1935 | Kink Richards (25) | 153 | NYG |
| 1934 | Swede Hanson (27) | 146 | PHI |
| Ace Gutowsky (25) | 146 | DET | |
| 1933 | Jim Musick (23) | 173 | BOS |
| 1932 | Cliff Battles+ (22) | 148 | BOS |