| Year | Player | Y/G | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Arian Foster (26) | 115.0 | HOU |
| 2011 | Arian Foster (25) | 142.5 | HOU |
| 2010 | Jamaal Charles (24) | 82.0 | KAN |
| 2009 | Cedric Benson (27) | 169.0 | CIN |
| 2008 | Brandon Jacobs (26) | 92.0 | NYG |
| 2007 | Marion Barber (24) | 129.0 | DAL |
| 2006 | Tiki Barber (31) | 137.0 | NYG |
| 2005 | DeShaun Foster (25) | 102.5 | CAR |
| 2004 | Warrick Dunn (29) | 100.5 | ATL |
| 2003 | Priest Holmes (30) | 176.0 | KAN |
| 2002 | Tiki Barber (27) | 115.0 | NYG |
| 2001 | Charlie Garner (29) | 111.0 | OAK |
| 2000 | Edgerrin James (22) | 107.0 | IND |
| Lamar Smith (30) | 107.0 | MIA | |
| 1999 | Fred Taylor (23) | 122.5 | JAX |
| 1998 | Terrell Davis (26) | 156.0 | DEN |
| 1997 | Terrell Davis (25) | 145.3 | DEN |
| 1996 | Natrone Means (24) | 119.3 | JAX |
| 1995 | Thurman Thomas+ (29) | 102.0 | BUF |
| 1994 | Barry Foster (26) | 90.0 | PIT |
| 1993 | Barry Sanders+ (25) | 169.0 | DET |
| 1992 | Emmitt Smith+ (23) | 112.0 | DAL |
| 1991 | Nick Bell (23) | 107.0 | RAI |
| 1990 | Thurman Thomas+ (24) | 130.0 | BUF |
| 1989 | Ottis Anderson (32) | 120.0 | NYG |
| 1988 | Ickey Woods (22) | 102.3 | CIN |
| 1987 | Timmy Smith (23) | 114.0 | WAS |
| 1986 | Eric Dickerson+ (26) | 158.0 | RAM |
| 1985 | Earnest Byner (23) | 161.0 | CLE |
| 1984 | Eric Dickerson+ (24) | 107.0 | RAM |
| 1983 | Marcus Allen+ (23) | 155.3 | RAI |
| 1982 | John Riggins+ (33) | 152.5 | WAS |
| 1981 | Rob Carpenter (26) | 111.0 | NYG |
| 1980 | Wilbert Montgomery (26) | 104.0 | PHI |
| 1979 | Ricky Bell (24) | 100.5 | TAM |
| 1978 | Earl Campbell+ (23) | 88.0 | HOU |
| 1977 | Lawrence McCutcheon (27) | 102.0 | RAM |
| 1976 | Franco Harris+ (26) | 132.0 | PIT |
| 1975 | Lawrence McCutcheon (25) | 106.0 | RAM |
| 1974 | Franco Harris+ (24) | 114.3 | PIT |
| 1973 | Larry Brown (26) | 115.0 | WAS |
| 1972 | Bo Scott (29) | 94.0 | CLE |
| 1971 | Wendell Hayes (31) | 100.0 | KAN |
| 1970 | Duane Thomas (23) | 104.3 | DAL |
| 1969 | Leroy Kelly+ (27) | 73.0 | CLE |
| 1968 | Matt Snell (27) | 96.0 | NYJ |
| 1967 | Hewritt Dixon (27) | 99.0 | OAK |
| 1966 | Don Perkins (28) | 108.0 | DAL |
| 1965 | Jim Taylor+ (30) | 78.0 | GNB |
| 1964 | Cookie Gilchrist (29) | 122.0 | BUF |