| Year | Player (age), + - HOFer, Bold - Active | Att | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Ray Rice (25) | 84 | BAL |
| 2011 | Ahmad Bradshaw (25) | 63 | NYG |
| 2010 | James Starks (24) | 81 | GNB |
| 2009 | Shonn Greene (24) | 54 | NYJ |
| 2008 | Willie Parker (28) | 70 | PIT |
| 2007 | Brandon Jacobs (25) | 62 | NYG |
| 2006 | Joseph Addai (23) | 76 | IND |
| 2005 | Shaun Alexander (28) | 60 | SEA |
| 2004 | Corey Dillon (30) | 65 | NWE |
| 2003 | Antowain Smith (31) | 64 | NWE |
| Stephen Davis (29) | 64 | CAR | |
| 2002 | Michael Pittman (27) | 54 | TAM |
| 2001 | Marshall Faulk+ (28) | 64 | STL |
| 2000 | Jamal Lewis (21) | 103 | BAL |
| 1999 | Eddie George (26) | 108 | TEN |
| 1998 | Terrell Davis (26) | 78 | DEN |
| 1997 | Terrell Davis (25) | 112 | DEN |
| 1996 | Natrone Means (24) | 71 | JAX |
| 1995 | Emmitt Smith+ (26) | 74 | DAL |
| 1994 | Natrone Means (22) | 57 | SDG |
| 1993 | Emmitt Smith+ (24) | 66 | DAL |
| 1992 | Emmitt Smith+ (23) | 71 | DAL |
| 1991 | Thurman Thomas+ (25) | 58 | BUF |
| 1990 | Thurman Thomas+ (24) | 72 | BUF |
| 1989 | Roger Craig (29) | 62 | SFO |
| 1988 | Ickey Woods (22) | 72 | CIN |
| 1987 | Timmy Smith (23) | 51 | WAS |
| 1986 | Joe Morris (26) | 73 | NYG |
| 1985 | Craig James (24) | 72 | NWE |
| 1984 | Walter Payton+ (30) | 46 | CHI |
| 1983 | John Riggins+ (34) | 87 | WAS |
| 1982 | John Riggins+ (33) | 136 | WAS |
| 1981 | Pete Johnson (27) | 52 | CIN |
| 1980 | Mark van Eeghen (28) | 73 | OAK |
| 1979 | Wendell Tyler (24) | 64 | RAM |
| 1978 | Earl Campbell+ (23) | 75 | HOU |
| 1977 | Chuck Foreman (27) | 52 | MIN |
| 1976 | Chuck Foreman (26) | 52 | MIN |
| 1975 | Franco Harris+ (25) | 81 | PIT |
| 1974 | Franco Harris+ (24) | 87 | PIT |
| 1973 | Larry Csonka+ (27) | 82 | MIA |
| 1972 | Larry Brown (25) | 77 | WAS |
| 1971 | Duane Thomas (24) | 55 | DAL |
| 1970 | Duane Thomas (23) | 75 | DAL |
| 1969 | Dave Osborn (26) | 38 | MIN |
| 1968 | Matt Snell (27) | 49 | NYJ |
| 1967 | Donny Anderson (24) | 44 | GNB |
| 1966 | Jim Taylor+ (31) | 27 | GNB |
| 1965 | Jim Taylor+ (30) | 50 | GNB |
| 1964 | Jim Brown+ (28) | 27 | CLE |
| 1963 | Larry Garron (26) | 22 | BOS |
| 1962 | Jim Taylor+ (27) | 31 | GNB |
| 1961 | Paul Hornung+ (26) | 20 | GNB |
| 1960 | Jim Taylor+ (25) | 24 | GNB |