Best Lions Running Backs

The best running back in Lions history is Barry Sanders (1990s), rated 98 out of 100 — just ahead of Jahmyr Gibbs and Billy Sims. Below, all 12 ranked, spanning 1980s–2020s.

These are all-era rankings with no cutoff year: a Lions running back from the 1980s is rated on the same scale as one playing today, which is why this list looks different from rankings that only go back to the modern era. The ratings are the same ones that power 17-0, the free game where you draft a roster of all-time greats and sim whether it goes a perfect 17-0 season.