<Table> <Tr> <Th> Rank </Th> <Th> Player </Th> <Th> Team ( s ) by season </Th> <Th> Carries </Th> <Th> Yards </Th> <Th> Average </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Emmitt Smith </Td> <Td> Dallas Cowboys ( 1990 -- 2002 ) Arizona Cardinals ( 2003 -- 2004 ) </Td> <Td> 4,409 </Td> <Td> 18,355 </Td> <Td> 4.2 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Walter Payton </Td> <Td> Chicago Bears ( 1975 -- 1987 ) </Td> <Td> 3,838 </Td> <Td> 16,726 </Td> <Td> 4.4 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Barry Sanders </Td> <Td> Detroit Lions ( 1989 -- 1998 ) </Td> <Td> 3,062 </Td> <Td> 15,269 </Td> <Td> 5.0 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Curtis Martin </Td> <Td> New England Patriots ( 1995 -- 1997 ) New York Jets ( 1998 -- 2005 ) </Td> <Td> 3,518 </Td> <Td> 14,101 </Td> <Td> 4.0 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> Frank Gore </Td> <Td> San Francisco 49ers ( 2005 -- 2014 ) Indianapolis Colts ( 2015 -- present ) </Td> <Td> 3,226 </Td> <Td> 14,026 </Td> <Td> 4.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> LaDanian Tomlinson </Td> <Td> San Diego Chargers ( 2001 -- 2009 ) New York Jets ( 2010 -- 2011 ) </Td> <Td> 3,174 </Td> <Td> 13,684 </Td> <Td> 4.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> Jerome Bettis </Td> <Td> St. Louis / L.A. Rams ( 1993 -- 1995 ) Pittsburgh Steelers ( 1996 -- 2005 ) </Td> <Td> 3,479 </Td> <Td> 13,662 </Td> <Td> 3.9 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> Eric Dickerson </Td> <Td> Los Angeles Rams ( 1983 -- 1987 ) Indianapolis Colts ( 1987 -- 1991 ) Los Angeles Raiders ( 1992 ) Atlanta Falcons ( 1993 ) </Td> <Td> 2,996 </Td> <Td> 13,259 </Td> <Td> 4.4 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 9 </Td> <Td> Tony Dorsett </Td> <Td> Dallas Cowboys ( 1977 -- 1987 ) Denver Broncos ( 1988 ) </Td> <Td> 2,936 </Td> <Td> 12,739 </Td> <Td> 4.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> Jim Brown </Td> <Td> Cleveland Browns ( 1957 -- 1965 ) </Td> <Td> 2,359 </Td> <Td> 12,312 </Td> <Td> 5.2 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 11 </Td> <Td> Marshall Faulk </Td> <Td> Indianapolis Colts ( 1994 -- 1998 ) St. Louis Rams ( 1999 -- 2005 ) </Td> <Td> 2,836 </Td> <Td> 12,279 </Td> <Td> 4.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 12 </Td> <Td> Adrian Peterson </Td> <Td> Minnesota Vikings ( 2007 -- 2016 ) New Orleans Saints ( 2017 ) Arizona Cardinals ( 2017 -- present ) </Td> <Td> 2,574 </Td> <Td> 12,276 </Td> <Td> 4.8 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 13 </Td> <Td> Edgerrin James </Td> <Td> Indianapolis Colts ( 1999 -- 2005 ) Arizona Cardinals ( 2006 -- 2008 ) Seattle Seahawks ( 2009 ) </Td> <Td> 3,028 </Td> <Td> 12,246 </Td> <Td> 4.0 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 13 </Td> <Td> Marcus Allen </Td> <Td> Los Angeles Raiders ( 1982 -- 1992 ) Kansas City Chiefs ( 1993 -- 1997 ) </Td> <Td> 3,022 </Td> <Td> 12,243 </Td> <Td> 4.1 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> Franco Harris </Td> <Td> Pittsburgh Steelers ( 1972 -- 1983 ) Seattle Seahawks ( 1984 ) </Td> <Td> 2,949 </Td> <Td> 12,120 </Td> <Td> 4.1 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> Thurman Thomas </Td> <Td> Buffalo Bills ( 1988 -- 1999 ) Miami Dolphins ( 2000 ) </Td> <Td> 2,877 </Td> <Td> 12,074 </Td> <Td> 4.2 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 17 </Td> <Td> Fred Taylor </Td> <Td> Jacksonville Jaguars ( 1998 -- 2008 ) New England Patriots ( 2009 -- 2010 ) </Td> <Td> 2,534 </Td> <Td> 11,695 </Td> <Td> 4.6 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Steven Jackson </Td> <Td> St. Louis Rams ( 2004 -- 2012 ) Atlanta Falcons ( 2013 -- 2014 ) New England Patriots ( 2015 ) </Td> <Td> 2,764 </Td> <Td> 11,438 </Td> <Td> 4.1 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 19 </Td> <Td> John Riggins </Td> <Td> New York Jets ( 1971 -- 1975 ) Washington Redskins ( 1976 -- 1985 ) </Td> <Td> 2,916 </Td> <Td> 11,352 </Td> <Td> 3.9 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 20 </Td> <Td> Corey Dillon </Td> <Td> Cincinnati Bengals ( 1997 -- 2003 ) New England Patriots ( 2004 -- 2006 ) </Td> <Td> 2,618 </Td> <Td> 11,241 </Td> <Td> 4.3 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 21 </Td> <Td> O.J. Simpson </Td> <Td> Buffalo Bills ( 1969 -- 1977 ) San Francisco 49ers ( 1978 -- 1979 ) </Td> <Td> 2,404 </Td> <Td> 11,236 </Td> <Td> 4.7 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> Warrick Dunn </Td> <Td> Tampa Bay Buccaneers ( 1997 -- 2001 ) Atlanta Falcons ( 2002 -- 2007 ) Tampa Bay Buccaneers ( 2008 ) </Td> <Td> 2,669 </Td> <Td> 10,967 </Td> <Td> 4.1 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 23 </Td> <Td>
who has the most yards per carry in nfl history
Jim Brown