Who was the best NFL RB ever?

[Eja117]

This is slightly to help settle an argument I had on another board.

I'm picking candidates largely from the top rushing yards

I can't believe Warrick Dunn has not even 300 yards less than OJ

[Roy Hobbs]

Walter Payton, followed by Jim Brown and Barry Sanders (a different type of back, but still a great one).

[Donoghus]

Jim Brown.

[blackbird]

Barry Sanders is the best football player I have ever seen.

[Chief]

Sweetness

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBk9YaTBo10

[PLamb]

Jim Brown, it's not close

[Fafnir]

I'm a Bears fan so I would say Sweetness, but I never saw him play myself (that I can remember) except in classic games and highlight films.

Barry Sanders was the greatest RB I've ever had the pleasure of watching.

[Truck Lewis]

sweetness, jim brown, barry sanders.....

jim brown was the most dominant, but so was george mikan...payton did it against the best.

bettis should not even be near that list

[Eja117]

Even though I liked Barry the most, who absolutely changed RBs I gave it to Brown.  The poll is in order of most rushing yards. He did it at a time when they only played 12 games a year and retired early at the top of his game.

The difference between him and the next best RB during his era was probably the biggest difference between a top guy and the next guy of any position in any sport of any era.

[BballTim]

  My top group would be Earl Campbell, OJ, and Bo Jackson. Short career but unbelievable. I think he's the only player in nfl history with 2 90+ yard runs, at least he was at the time.

[Roy Hobbs]

The difference between him and the next best RB during his era was probably the biggest difference between a top guy and the next guy of any position in any sport of any era.

I'd take Babe Ruth in that particular discussion, with Gretzky a close second.  If you're talking individual sports, too, I think Tiger and Federer have been more dominant, as well.

[Rondo_is_better]

Jim Brown. What he did for the league outside the game and what he did in game was insane. He would routinely go another 5-10 yards with two men hanging on his back. Even if the competition he faced wasn't as good, they did weigh the same. That's just brute strength that would make him a force in any era.

[hardlyyardley]

For anyone to select a player other than Jim Brown means you must be young....take a poll of old farts like myself and it would be 99.4% for Brown....I remember in college watching him (prePatriots) as a Cleveland fan

He was on a par with Russell in basketball and Mays in baseball  

[Tough Juice]

Barry Sanders... hands down

[csfansince60s]

Jim Brown, it's not close

TP Plamb, for representing us old folks. While I agree that it is no contest  re Jim Brown (and I'm a Giant fan and remember him running over and sometimes sweeping around Rosie Greer, Jim Katcavage and Sam Huff) he was the best combination of power, speed and durability I have ever seen.

TP also to BballTim's representing a little younger but still vintage crew with Earl and Bo, but my personal favorite for the brief, spectacular career that he had was the aptly named"Kansas Comet", in that he flamed brightly but burned out all too quickly.

Gale Sayers was the smoothest, quickest, shiftiest RB, kickoff and punt returner that there ever was and he could also run with power. Poetry in motion in a game of violence and collision. The absolute best in terms of raw talent hands down.