most rushing yards in a career detroit lions running backs

Barry Sanders has the most career rushing yards for the Lions by a running back, with 15,269 yards.

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Regular season

	NAME	RUSH YDS	GP	ATT	YPC	RUSH YDS/G	RUSH TD	REC YDS	REC	TRG	AVG	REC YDS/G	REC TD
1	Barry Sanders B. Sanders	15,269	153	3,062	5.0	99.8	99	2,921	352		8.3	19.1	10
2	Billy Sims B. Sims	5,106	60	1,131	4.5	85.1	42	2,072	186		11.1	34.5	5
3	Dexter Bussey D. Bussey	5,105	150	1,203	4.2	34.0	18	1,616	193		8.4	10.8	5
4	Altie Taylor A. Taylor	4,297	91	1,165	3.7	47.2	24	1,523	173		8.8	16.7	6
5	Jahmyr Gibbs J. Gibbs	4,084	54	780	5.2	75.6	46	1,692	208	262	8.1	31.3	12
6	Nick Pietrosante N. Pietrosante	3,933	89	938	4.2	44.2	28	1,323	134		9.9	14.9	2
7	James Jones J. Jones	3,452	85	960	3.6	40.6	23	2,318	285		8.1	27.3	10
8	Ace Gutowsky A. Gutowsky	3,077	77	864	3.6	40.0	20	64	3		21.3	0.8	0
9	Mel Farr M. Farr	3,072	69	739	4.2	44.5	26	1,374	146		9.4	19.9	10
10	Kevin Jones K. Jones	3,067	53	761	4.0	57.9	24	1,006	141	191	7.1	19.0	3
11	James Stewart J. Stewart	2,890	41	713	4.1	70.5	15	862	101	144	8.5	21.0	4
12	Dutch Clark D. Clark	2,772	64	606	4.6	43.3	27	341	28		12.2	5.3	6
13	David Montgomery D. Montgomery	2,506	45	562	4.5	55.7	33	650	76	91	8.6	14.4	0
14	Steve Owens S. Owens	2,451	53	635	3.9	46.2	20	861	99		8.7	16.2	2
15	Bob Hoernschemeyer B. Hoernschemeyer	2,439	59	553	4.4	41.3	17	951	96		9.9	16.1	7
16	Kevin Smith K. Smith	2,346	54	598	3.9	43.4	17	1,082	123	171	8.8	20.0	5
17	Ernie Caddel E. Caddel	2,311	64	443	5.2	36.1	20	641	54		11.9	10.0	5
18	Dan Lewis D. Lewis	2,247	71	541	4.2	31.6	12	681	60		11.4	9.6	3
19	Joique Bell J. Bell	2,235	63	561	4.0	35.5	22	1,638	162	219	10.1	26.0	1
20	Horace King H. King	2,081	123	549	3.8	16.9	9	1,579	198		8.0	12.8	5
21	Bill Shepherd B. Shepherd	1,699	51	450	3.8	33.3	11	168	18		9.3	3.3	1
22	D'Andre Swift D. Swift	1,680	40	364	4.6	42.0	18	1,198	156	205	7.7	30.0	7
23	Jamaal Williams J. Williams	1,667	30	415	4.0	55.6	20	230	38	44	6.1	7.7	0
24	Glenn Presnell G. Presnell	1,593	60	413	3.9	26.6	15	192	13		14.8	3.2	2
25	Tom Watkins T. Watkins	1,582	64	425	3.7	24.7	10	524	51		10.3	8.2	3

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StatMuse has season-level data for rushing yards going back to the 1932 season.

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More Lions Stats

Team Leaders

PASS

1,485

Goff

RUSH

504

Gibbs

REC

372

St. Brown

Team Rankings

PPG

32.8

1st

OPP PPG

29.6

29th

RUSH YDS/G

114.2

14th

PASS YDS/G

297.0

3rd

2026 Division Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT
Vikings	5	0	1.000
Bears	3	2	.600
Packers	3	2	.600
Lions	3	2	.600

Schedule

DATE	MATCHUP			TIME (ET)
Sun 10/25	GB	@	DET	4:25 PM
Sun 11/1	MIN	@	DET	1:00 PM
Sun 11/8	DET	@	MIA	1:00 PM
Sun 11/15	NE	@	DET	9:30 AM
Sun 11/22	TB	@	DET	1:00 PM

Last Game

Lions

3 - 2

Final

Cardinals

1 - 4

Sun 11 Oct 2026

NFL 2026 Leaders

Pass Yards Leaders

1,572

Stafford

1,485

Goff

1,408

Love

Rush Yards Leaders

580

Robinson

537

Walker

532

Cook

Rec Yards Leaders

583

Smith-Njigba

537

Olave

507

Lamb

Pass TD Leaders

13

Purdy

12

Goff

12

Cousins

Rush TD Leaders

8

Allen

7

Gibbs

7

Henry

Rec TD Leaders

7

Smith-Njigba

6

Watson

5

St. Brown

QB Rating Leaders

119.6

Jackson

119.3

Purdy

111.3

Goff

Sack Leaders

7.5

Anderson

6.0

Rousseau

5.5

Turner

NFL 2026 Rankings

PPG Rankings

32.8

30.8

30.3

29.5

29.2

Opp PPG Rankings

12.8

14.0

18.6

18.8

19.2

Total Yards Rankings

424.4

412.0

405.8

396.2

394.2

393.8

Rush Yards Rankings

173.2

166.8

164.4

162.3

158.0

139.6

Pass Yards Rankings

317.0

297.0

281.6

280.4

276.2

Sack Leaders

20.0

18.0

17.0

16.0

NFL Fantasy 2026

Fantasy RB Rankings

126.7

Gibbs

103.8

Henry

103.2

Robinson

Fantasy WR Rankings

102.5

Smith-Njigba

83.4

Watson

76.1

Lamb

Fantasy TE Rankings

52.4

Likely

50.8

Kittle

49.6

LaPorta

Fantasy K Rankings

75

Shrader

68

Reichard

54

Loop

NFL 2026 Betting

Best Record ATS

4-1

3-1-1

Worst Record ATS

0-4-1

1-4

1-3-1

2-3

NFL 2026 Standings

NFC East	W	L	T	PCT
Giants	3	1	1	.700
Eagles	2	3	0	.400
Cowboys	2	3	0	.400
Commanders	1	3	1	.300
NFC North	W	L	T	PCT
Vikings	5	0	0	1.000
Packers	3	2	0	.600
Lions	3	2	0	.600
Bears	3	2	0	.600
NFC South	W	L	T	PCT
Panthers	2	2	0	.500
Falcons	2	3	0	.400
Buccaneers	1	4	0	.200
Saints	1	4	0	.200
NFC West	W	L	T	PCT
49ers	5	0	0	1.000
Seahawks	3	2	0	.600
Rams	2	3	0	.400
Cardinals	1	4	0	.200

AFC East	W	L	T	PCT
Bills	4	1	0	.800
Patriots	3	2	0	.600
Jets	2	3	0	.400
Dolphins	0	5	0	.000
AFC North	W	L	T	PCT
Ravens	4	1	0	.800
Browns	3	2	0	.600
Steelers	3	2	0	.600
Bengals	3	2	0	.600
AFC South	W	L	T	PCT
Jaguars	4	1	0	.800
Colts	2	3	0	.400
Texans	1	4	0	.200
Titans	0	5	0	.000
AFC West	W	L	T	PCT
Chiefs	4	0	0	1.000
Broncos	3	2	0	.600
Raiders	3	2	0	.600
Chargers	0	5	0	.000