| 2024 | Saquon Barkley (Phi) | 2,005 |
| 2023 | Christian McCaffrey (SF) | 1,459 |
| 2022 | Josh Jacobs (LVR) | 1,653 |
| 2021 | Jonathan Taylor (Ind) | 1,811 |
| 2020 | Derrick Henry (Ten) | 2,027 |
| 2019 | Derrick Henry (Ten) | 1,540 |
| 2018 | Ezekiel Elliott (Dal) | 1,434 |
| 2017 | Kareem Hunt (KC) | 1,327 |
| 2016 | Ezekiel Elliott (Dal) | 1,631 |
| 2015 | Adrian Peterson (Min) | 1,485 |
| 2014 | DeMarco Murray (Dal) | 1,845 |
| 2013 | LeSean McCoy (Phi) | 1,607 |
| 2012 | Adrian Peterson (Min) | 2,097 |
| 2011 | Maurice Jones-Drew (Jax) | 1,606 |
| 2010 | Arian Foster (Hou) | 1,616 |
| 2009 | Chris Johnson (Ten) | 2,006 |
| 2008 | Adrian Peterson (Min) | 1,760 |
| 2007 | LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) | 1,474 |
| 2006 | LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) | 1,815 |
| 2005 | Shaun Alexander (Sea) | 1,880 |
| 2004 | Curtis Martin (NYJ) | 1,697 |
| 2003 | Jamal Lewis (Bal) | 2,066 |
| 2002 | Ricky Williams (Mia) | 1,853 |
| 2001 | Priest Holmes (KC) | 1,555 |
| 2000 | Edgerrin James (Ind) | 1,709 |
| 1999 | Edgerrin James (Ind) | 1,553 |
| 1998 | Terrell Davis (Den) | 2,008 |
| 1997 | Barry Sanders (Det) | 2,053 |
| 1996 | Barry Sanders (Det) | 1,553 |
| 1995 | Emmitt Smith (Dal) | 1,773 |
| 1994 | Barry Sanders (Det) | 1,883 |
| 1993 | Emmitt Smith (Dal) | 1,486 |
| 1992 | Emmitt Smith (Dal) | 1,713 |
| 1991 | Emmitt Smith (Dal) | 1,563 |
| 1990 | Barry Sanders (Det) | 1,304 |
| 1989 | Christian Okoye (KC) | 1,480 |
| 1988 | Eric Dickerson (Ind) | 1,659 |
| 1987 | Charles White (LA) | 1,374 |
| 1986 | Eric Dickerson (LA) | 1,821 |
| 1985 | Marcus Allen (LAR) | 1,759 |
| 1984 | Eric Dickerson (LA) | 2,105 |
| 1983 | Eric Dickerson (LA) | 1,808 |
| 1982 | Freeman McNeil (NYJ) | 786 |
| 1981 | George Rogers (NO) | 1,674 |
| 1980 | Earl Campbell (Hou.Oilers) | 1,934 |
| 1979 | Earl Campbell (Hou.Oilers) | 1,697 |
| 1978 | Earl Campbell (Hou.Oilers) | 1,450 |
| 1977 | Walter Payton (Chi) | 1,852 |
| 1976 | O.J. Simpson (Buf) | 1,503 |
| 1975 | O.J. Simpson (Buf) | 1,817 |
| 1974 | Otis Armstrong (Den) | 1,407 |
| 1973 | O.J. Simpson (Buf) | 2,003 |
| 1972 | O.J. Simpson (Buf) | 1,251 |
| 1971 | Floyd Little (Den) | 1,133 |
| 1970 | Larry Brown (Was) | 1,125 |
| 1969 | Gale Sayers (Chi) | 1,032 |
| Dickie Post (AFL, SD) | 873 |
| 1968 | Leroy Kelly (Cle) | 1,239 |
| Paul Robinson (AFL, Cin) | 1,023 |
| 1967 | Jim Nance (AFL, Bos) | 1,216 |
| Leroy Kelly (Cle) | 1,205 |
| 1966 | Jim Nance (AFL, Bos) | 1,458 |
| Gale Sayers (Chi) | 1,231 |
| 1965 | Jim Brown (Cle) | 1,544 |
| Paul Lowe (AFL, SD) | 1,121 |
| 1964 | Jim Brown (Cle) | 1,446 |
| Cookie Gilchrist (AFL, Buf) | 981 |
| 1963 | Jim Brown (Cle) | 1,863 |
| Clem Daniels (AFL, Oak) | 1,099 |
| 1962 | Jim Taylor (GB) | 1,474 |
| Cookie Gilchrist (AFL, Buf) | 1,096 |
| 1961 | Jim Brown (Cle) | 1,408 |
| Billy Cannon (AFL, Hou.Oilers) | 948 |
| 1960 | Jim Brown (Cle) | 1,257 |
| Abner Haynes (AFL, Dal.Texans) | 875 |
| 1959 | Jim Brown (Cle) | 1,329 |
| 1958 | Jim Brown (Cle) | 1,527 |
| 1957 | Jim Brown (Cle) | 942 |
| 1956 | Rick Casares (Chi) | 1,126 |
| 1955 | Alan Ameche (Bal) | 961 |
| 1954 | Joe Perry (SF) | 1,049 |
| 1953 | Joe Perry (SF) | 1,018 |
| 1952 | Dan Towler (LAR) | 894 |
| 1951 | Eddie Price (NYG) | 971 |
| 1950 | Marion Motley (Cle) | 810 |
| 1949 | Steve Van Buren (Phi) | 1,146 |
| Joe Perry (AAFC, SF) | 783 |
| 1948 | Marion Motley (AAFC, Cle) | 964 |
| Steve Van Buren (Phi) | 945 |
| 1947 | Spec Sanders (AAFC, NYY) | 1,432 |
| Steve Van Buren (Phi) | 1,008 |
| 1946 | Spec Sanders (AAFC, NYY) | 709 |
| Bill Dudley (Pit) | 604 |
| 1945 | Steve Van Buren (Phi) | 832 |
| 1944 | Bill Paschal (NYG) | 737 |
| 1943 | Bill Paschal (NYG) | 572 |
| 1942 | Bill Dudley (Pit) | 696 |
| 1941 | Pug Manders (Bkn) | 486 |
| 1940 | Whizzer White (Det) | 514 |
| 1939 | Bill Osmanski (Chi) | 699 |
| 1938 | Whizzer White (Pit) | 567 |
| 1937 | Cliff Battles (Was) | 874 |
| 1936 | Tuffy Leemans (NYG) | 830 |
| 1935 | Doug Russell (Ch.Cards) | 499 |
| 1934 | Beattie Feathers (Chi) | 1,004 |
| 1933 | Jim Musick (Bos) | 809 |
| 1932 | Cliff Battles (Bos) | 576 |
