most nfl carries by running backs since 1987

Since 1987, Emmitt Smith has the most rush attempts by a running back, with 4,409 rush attempts.

Showing:

Regular season

	NAME	ATT	GP	RUSH YDS	YPC	RUSH YDS/G	RUSH TD	REC YDS	REC	TRG	AVG	REC YDS/G	REC TD
1	Emmitt Smith E. Smith	4,409	226	18,355	4.2	81.2	164	3,224	515	130	6.3	14.3	11
2	Frank Gore F. Gore	3,735	241	16,000	4.3	66.4	81	3,985	484	696	8.2	16.5	18
3	Curtis Martin C. Martin	3,518	168	14,101	4.0	83.9	90	3,329	484	409	6.9	19.8	10
4	Jerome Bettis J. Bettis	3,479	192	13,662	3.9	71.2	91	1,449	200	100	7.2	7.5	3
5	Adrian Peterson A. Peterson	3,230	184	14,918	4.6	81.1	120	2,474	305	423	8.1	13.4	6
6	LaDainian Tomlinson L. Tomlinson	3,174	170	13,684	4.3	80.5	145	4,772	624	868	7.6	28.1	17
7	Barry Sanders B. Sanders	3,062	153	15,269	5.0	99.8	99	2,921	352		8.3	19.1	10
8	Edgerrin James E. James	3,028	148	12,246	4.0	82.7	80	3,364	433	584	7.8	22.7	11
9	Thurman Thomas T. Thomas	2,877	182	12,074	4.2	66.3	65	4,458	472	29	9.4	24.5	23
10	Eddie George E. George	2,865	141	10,441	3.6	74.0	68	2,227	268	269	8.3	15.8	10
11	Marshall Faulk M. Faulk	2,836	176	12,279	4.3	69.8	100	6,875	767	606	9.0	39.1	36
12	Steven Jackson S. Jackson	2,764	160	11,438	4.1	71.5	69	3,683	461	627	8.0	23.0	9
13	Derrick Henry D. Henry	2,751	157	13,392	4.9	85.3	129	1,845	196	252	9.4	11.8	5
14	Thomas Jones T. Jones	2,678	180	10,591	4.0	58.8	68	2,023	308	410	6.6	11.2	3
15	Warrick Dunn W. Dunn	2,669	181	10,967	4.1	60.6	49	4,339	510	594	8.5	24.0	15
16	Ricky Watters R. Watters	2,622	144	10,643	4.1	73.9	78	4,248	467	176	9.1	29.5	13
17	Corey Dillon C. Dillon	2,618	150	11,241	4.3	74.9	82	1,913	244	278	7.8	12.8	7
18	Jamal Lewis J. Lewis	2,542	131	10,607	4.2	81.0	58	1,879	221	298	8.5	14.3	4
19	Fred Taylor F. Taylor	2,534	153	11,695	4.6	76.4	66	2,384	290	348	8.2	15.6	8
20	LeSean McCoy L. McCoy	2,457	170	11,102	4.5	65.3	73	3,898	518	665	7.5	22.9	16
21	Marshawn Lynch M. Lynch	2,453	149	10,413	4.2	69.9	85	2,214	287	391	7.7	14.9	9
22	Ricky Williams R. Williams	2,431	147	10,009	4.1	68.1	66	2,606	342	466	7.6	17.7	8
23	Matt Forte M. Forte	2,356	146	9,796	4.2	67.1	54	4,672	554	724	8.4	32.0	21
24	Clinton Portis C. Portis	2,230	113	9,923	4.4	87.8	75	2,018	247	338	8.2	17.9	5
25	Tiki Barber T. Barber	2,217	154	10,449	4.7	67.9	55	5,183	586	707	8.8	33.7	12

Unlock 2x data

StatMuse has season-level data for rush attempts going back to the 1932 season.

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More Cowboys Stats

Team Leaders

PASS

1,065

Prescott

RUSH

231

Williams

REC

498

Lamb

Team Rankings

PPG

30.5

2nd

OPP PPG

28.0

28th

RUSH YDS/G

89.5

25th

PASS YDS/G

266.3

7th

2026 Division Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT
Giants	3	1	.750
Eagles	2	2	.500
Cowboys	2	2	.500
Commanders	1	3	.250

Schedule

DATE	MATCHUP			TIME (ET)
Thu 10/8	TB	@	DAL	8:15 PM
Sun 10/18	DAL	@	GB	8:20 PM
Mon 10/26	DAL	@	PHI	8:15 PM
Sun 11/1	ARI	@	DAL	1:00 PM
Sun 11/8	DAL	@	IND	1:00 PM

Last Game

Cowboys

2 - 2

Final

Texans

0 - 4

Sun 4 Oct 2026

NFL 2026 Leaders

Pass Yards Leaders

1,268

Young

1,214

Goff

1,203

Shough

Rush Yards Leaders

537

Walker

494

Robinson

421

Cook

Rec Yards Leaders

498

Lamb

491

Olave

481

Smith-Njigba

Pass TD Leaders

11

Purdy

11

Cousins

9

Shough

Rush TD Leaders

7

Allen

7

Henry

6

Taylor

Rec TD Leaders

6

Smith-Njigba

5

St. Brown

4

Watson

QB Rating Leaders

126.2

Purdy

119.6

Jackson

111.2

Lawrence

Sack Leaders

6.0

Rousseau

5.5

Turner

4.5

Anderson

NFL 2026 Rankings

PPG Rankings

31.8

30.5

30.3

29.8

29.5

Opp PPG Rankings

12.8

13.3

16.0

16.3

18.3

19.3

Total Yards Rankings

429.0

417.0

412.0

405.8

395.0

389.3

Rush Yards Rankings

196.3

181.0

162.3

153.5

139.0

137.3

Pass Yards Rankings

317.0

303.5

300.8

300.5

292.8

285.3

Sack Leaders

16.0

15.0

14.0

12.0

NFL Fantasy 2026

Fantasy RB Rankings

98.1

Walker

94

Gibbs

91.4

Robinson

Fantasy WR Rankings

84.7

Smith-Njigba

75.2

Lamb

60.3

St. Brown

Fantasy TE Rankings

48.4

Kittle

39.2

Johnson

36.6

Kelce

Fantasy K Rankings

54

Shrader

52

Reichard

47

McPherson

NFL 2026 Betting

Best Record ATS

4-0

3-1

Worst Record ATS

0-4

0-3-1

1-3

NFL 2026 Standings

NFC East	W	L	T	PCT
Giants	3	1	0	.750
Eagles	2	2	0	.500
Cowboys	2	2	0	.500
Commanders	1	3	0	.250
NFC North	W	L	T	PCT
Vikings	4	0	0	1.000
Bears	3	1	0	.750
Lions	2	2	0	.500
Packers	2	2	0	.500
NFC South	W	L	T	PCT
Panthers	2	2	0	.500
Falcons	2	2	0	.500
Saints	1	3	0	.250
Buccaneers	0	4	0	.000
NFC West	W	L	T	PCT
49ers	4	0	0	1.000
Seahawks	3	1	0	.750
Rams	2	2	0	.500
Cardinals	1	3	0	.250

AFC East	W	L	T	PCT
Bills	3	1	0	.750
Patriots	2	2	0	.500
Jets	1	3	0	.250
Dolphins	0	4	0	.000
AFC North	W	L	T	PCT
Browns	3	1	0	.750
Ravens	3	1	0	.750
Steelers	2	2	0	.500
Bengals	2	2	0	.500
AFC South	W	L	T	PCT
Jaguars	3	1	0	.750
Colts	2	2	0	.500
Titans	0	4	0	.000
Texans	0	4	0	.000
AFC West	W	L	T	PCT
Chiefs	4	0	0	1.000
Raiders	3	1	0	.750
Broncos	2	2	0	.500
Chargers	0	4	0	.000