| Year | Player | Touch | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Arian Foster (26) | 391 | HOU |
| 2011 | Maurice Jones-Drew (26) | 386 | JAX |
| 2010 | Arian Foster (24) | 393 | HOU |
| 2009 | Chris Johnson (24) | 408 | TEN |
| 2008 | Adrian Peterson (23) | 385 | MIN |
| 2007 | LaDainian Tomlinson (28) | 375 | SDG |
| 2006 | Larry Johnson (27) | 457 | KAN |
| 2005 | Tiki Barber (30) | 411 | NYG |
| 2004 | Curtis Martin+ (31) | 412 | NYJ |
| 2003 | Ricky Williams (26) | 442 | MIA |
| 2002 | LaDainian Tomlinson (23) | 451 | SDG |
| 2001 | LaDainian Tomlinson (22) | 398 | SDG |
| 2000 | Eddie George (27) | 453 | TEN |
| 1999 | Edgerrin James (21) | 431 | IND |
| 1998 | Jamal Anderson (26) | 437 | ATL |
| 1997 | Terrell Davis (25) | 411 | DEN |
| 1996 | Ricky Watters (27) | 404 | PHI |
| 1995 | Emmitt Smith+ (26) | 439 | DAL |
| 1994 | Emmitt Smith+ (25) | 418 | DAL |
| 1993 | Thurman Thomas+ (27) | 403 | BUF |
| 1992 | Emmitt Smith+ (23) | 432 | DAL |
| 1991 | Emmitt Smith+ (22) | 414 | DAL |
| 1990 | Earnest Byner (28) | 328 | WAS |
| 1989 | Dalton Hilliard (25) | 397 | NOR |
| 1988 | Eric Dickerson+ (28) | 424 | IND |
| 1987 | Charles White (29) | 350 | RAM |
| 1986 | Eric Dickerson+ (26) | 430 | RAM |
| 1985 | Marcus Allen+ (25) | 447 | RAI |
| 1984 | James Wilder (26) | 492 | TAM |
| 1983 | Eric Dickerson+ (23) | 441 | RAM |
| 1982 | Billy Sims (27) | 206 | DET |
| 1981 | Earl Campbell+ (26) | 397 | HOU |
| 1980 | Joe Cribbs (22) | 389 | BUF |
| 1979 | Walter Payton+ (25) | 400 | CHI |
| 1978 | Walter Payton+ (24) | 383 | CHI |
| 1977 | Lydell Mitchell (28) | 372 | BAL |
| 1976 | Lydell Mitchell (27) | 349 | BAL |
| 1975 | O.J. Simpson+ (28) | 357 | BUF |
| 1974 | Mack Herron (26) | 332 | NWE |
| 1973 | O.J. Simpson+ (26) | 338 | BUF |
| 1972 | Ron A. Johnson (25) | 343 | NYG |
| 1971 | Floyd Little+ (29) | 317 | DEN |
| 1970 | Ron A. Johnson (23) | 316 | NYG |
| 1969 | Tom Matte (30) | 278 | BAL |
| O.J. Simpson+ (22) | 232 | BUF | |
| 1968 | Leroy Kelly+ (26) | 272 | CLE |
| Paul Robinson (24) | 266 | CIN | |
| 1967 | Jim Nance (25) | 291 | BOS |
| Leroy Kelly+ (25) | 269 | CLE | |
| 1966 | Jim Nance (24) | 307 | BOS |