| Year | Player | Y/Tch | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Colin Kaepernick (25) | 11.3 | SFO |
| 2011 | Pierre Thomas (27) | 8.6 | NOR |
| 2010 | Marshawn Lynch (24) | 6.9 | SEA |
| 2009 | Felix Jones (22) | 8.6 | DAL |
| 2008 | Darren Sproles (25) | 10.6 | SDG |
| 2007 | Nate Burleson (26) | 11.9 | SEA |
| 2006 | Reggie Bush (21) | 8.0 | NOR |
| 2005 | Steve Smith (26) | 14.3 | CAR |
| 2004 | Onterrio Smith (24) | 7.1 | MIN |
| 2003 | Najeh Davenport (24) | 9.2 | GNB |
| 2002 | Garrison Hearst (31) | 6.0 | SFO |
| 2001 | Charlie Garner (29) | 7.2 | OAK |
| 2000 | Autry Denson (24) | 12.1 | MIA |
| 1999 | Fred Taylor (23) | 7.5 | JAX |
| 1998 | Adrian Murrell (28) | 7.0 | ARI |
| 1997 | Antonio Freeman (25) | 15.3 | GNB |
| 1996 | Dave Meggett (30) | 11.9 | NWE |
| 1995 | O.J. McDuffie (26) | 15.6 | MIA |
| 1994 | Kevin Williams (23) | 15.3 | DAL |
| 1993 | Shannon Sharpe+ (25) | 12.0 | DEN |
| 1992 | Brian Mitchell (24) | 9.5 | WAS |
| 1991 | Darren Lewis (23) | 9.1 | CHI |
| 1990 | Marc Logan (25) | 10.1 | MIA |
| 1989 | Herschel Walker (27) | 8.8 | MIN |
| 1988 | Keith Byars (25) | 8.6 | PHI |
| 1987 | Anthony Carter (27) | 21.4 | MIN |
| 1986 | Roger Craig (26) | 6.7 | SFO |
| 1985 | Earnest Byner (23) | 9.3 | CLE |
| 1984 | Rich Erenberg (22) | 12.0 | PIT |
| 1983 | Marcus Allen+ (23) | 8.1 | RAI |
| 1982 | Stump Mitchell (23) | 13.1 | STL |
| 1981 | Kellen Winslow+ (24) | 12.8 | SDG |
| 1980 | James Jones (22) | 14.7 | DAL |
| 1979 | Dave Preston (24) | 7.5 | DEN |
| 1978 | Rocky Bleier (32) | 6.2 | PIT |
| 1977 | Lawrence McCutcheon (27) | 6.5 | RAM |
| 1976 | Franco Harris+ (26) | 7.4 | PIT |
| 1975 | Terry Metcalf (24) | 12.7 | STL |
| 1974 | Terry Metcalf (23) | 8.0 | STL |
| 1973 | Clarence Davis (24) | 7.1 | OAK |
| 1972 | Vic Washington (26) | 14.3 | SFO |
| 1971 | Ed Podolak (24) | 11.7 | KAN |
| 1970 | Clint Jones (25) | 6.0 | MIN |
| 1969 | Calvin Hill (22) | 8.8 | DAL |
| 1968 | Charlie H. Smith (22) | 7.0 | OAK |
| 1967 | Pete Banaszak (23) | 7.5 | OAK |
| 1966 | Don Perkins (28) | 6.4 | DAL |
| 1965 | Jim Brown+ (29) | 6.3 | CLE |
| 1964 | Cookie Gilchrist (29) | 8.0 | BUF |
| 1963 | Keith Lincoln (24) | 16.5 | SDG |