| Year | Player | YScm | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Ray Rice (25) | 394 | BAL |
| 2011 | Hakeem Nicks (23) | 444 | NYG |
| 2010 | James Starks (24) | 330 | GNB |
| 2009 | Shonn Greene (24) | 308 | NYJ |
| 2008 | Larry Fitzgerald (25) | 546 | ARI |
| 2007 | Laurence Maroney (22) | 341 | NWE |
| 2006 | Joseph Addai (23) | 412 | IND |
| 2005 | Steve Smith (26) | 373 | CAR |
| 2004 | Brian Westbrook (25) | 356 | PHI |
| 2003 | Steve Smith (24) | 411 | CAR |
| 2002 | Charlie Garner (30) | 271 | OAK |
| 2001 | Marshall Faulk+ (28) | 431 | STL |
| 2000 | Jamal Lewis (21) | 342 | BAL |
| 1999 | Eddie George (26) | 521 | TEN |
| 1998 | Terrell Davis (26) | 537 | DEN |
| 1997 | Terrell Davis (25) | 619 | DEN |
| 1996 | Natrone Means (24) | 400 | JAX |
| 1995 | Emmitt Smith+ (26) | 358 | DAL |
| 1994 | Michael Irvin+ (28) | 303 | DAL |
| 1993 | Emmitt Smith+ (24) | 418 | DAL |
| 1992 | Emmitt Smith+ (23) | 422 | DAL |
| 1991 | Gary Clark (29) | 255 | WAS |
| 1990 | Thurman Thomas+ (24) | 544 | BUF |
| 1989 | Roger Craig (29) | 362 | SFO |
| 1988 | Jerry Rice+ (26) | 438 | SFO |
| 1987 | Anthony Carter (27) | 421 | MIN |
| 1986 | Joe Morris (26) | 335 | NYG |
| 1985 | Craig James (24) | 349 | NWE |
| 1984 | Tony Nathan (28) | 375 | MIA |
| 1983 | Marcus Allen+ (23) | 584 | RAI |
| 1982 | John Riggins+ (33) | 625 | WAS |
| 1981 | Dwight Clark (24) | 273 | SFO |
| 1980 | Wilbert Montgomery (26) | 443 | PHI |
| 1979 | Franco Harris+ (29) | 362 | PIT |
| 1978 | Tony Dorsett+ (24) | 330 | DAL |
| 1977 | Tony Dorsett+ (23) | 270 | DAL |
| 1976 | Chuck Foreman (26) | 410 | MIN |
| 1975 | Franco Harris+ (25) | 398 | PIT |
| 1974 | Franco Harris+ (24) | 348 | PIT |
| 1973 | Larry Csonka+ (27) | 333 | MIA |
| 1972 | Larry Brown (25) | 303 | WAS |
| 1971 | Paul Warfield+ (29) | 297 | MIA |
| 1970 | Duane Thomas (23) | 358 | DAL |
| 1969 | Charlie H. Smith (23) | 223 | OAK |
| 1968 | Fred Biletnikoff+ (25) | 370 | OAK |
| 1967 | Donny Anderson (24) | 227 | GNB |
| 1966 | Carroll Dale (28) | 187 | GNB |
| 1965 | Jim Taylor+ (30) | 205 | GNB |
| 1964 | Jim Brown+ (28) | 151 | CLE |
| 1963 | Keith Lincoln (24) | 329 | SDG |