The NFL Rushing Yards leader - or Rushing Champion - is the player who finishes the regular season with the highest total of rushing yards in the league. To win this title, a player must consistently advance the ball through ground plays over the 18-week schedule, relying on a combination of durability, vision, and offensive line support to outgain every other back in the NFL.
Since 2022, the league has officially presented the winner with the Jim Brown Award, named in honor of the legendary Cleveland Browns Hall of Famer who won a record eight rushing titles. Unlike playoff-based awards, this is a purely statistical achievement that concludes with the final game of the regular season.
Most recently, James Cook of the Buffalo Bills captured the 2025 title with 1,621 yards, becoming the first Bills player to lead the league in rushing since 1976.
UPDATE: With the closure of the NFL regular season, odds for this market are no longer available. Be with us here again in the 2026/27 NFL season.
Jonathan Taylor holds the statistical lead with 1,282 yards through 13 weeks, maintaining a critical 54-yard cushion over his closest rival, James Cook. Taylor's candidacy is fortified by his elite usage rate in head coach Shane Steichen's offense, where he averages nearly 19 carries per game behind one of the league's top offensive lines. This heavy workload, combined with a career-high efficiency of 5.7 yards per carry, ensures he consistently produces high-yardage totals regardless of game script.
With the Colts remaining competitive in the AFC playoff race, Taylor is guaranteed to remain the focal point of their attack, giving him the safest floor and highest ceiling to secure his second career rushing title.
The only way to bet on the NFL rushing yards leader is through the futures betting market. There are alternate ways you can bet on rushing yards, though.
Many of the best online sportsbooks have over/under futures lines for each player, and you can also bet on each player's rushing yards on a per-game basis.
Looking at the odds above, you'll notice that each player has a "+" next to their name. This is typical during the preseason when there’s still a lot of uncertainty and games haven't started. As the season progresses and player stats start to separate the contenders, you’ll begin to see “-” odds appear for the frontrunners.
Let's examine how to read these odds through the lens of winning $100 or wagering $100.
“+” odds indicate how much you’d win on a $100 bet. For instance, if Barkley is listed at +650, a $100 wager would return $650 in winnings.
“-” odds show how much you must bet to win $100. So, if Barkley were -650, you’d have to wager $650 just to win $100.
The best places to wager on the NFL rushing yards leader right now are FanDuel, Caesars, and BetMGM.
Caesars Sportsbook: The odds above are from Caesars, and it was the first to offer these odds during the preseason. There’s a new player-friendly welcome bonus and frequent odds boosts. Use our promo code WSN250BM to sign up for a Caesars account and claim the welcome offer: Bet Match up to $250 - Win or Lose.
FanDuel Sportsbook: Offers a sizable welcome bonus, great customer support, and tools for new players to understand the ins and outs of sports betting. Follow our link to claim the welcome bonus offer at FanDuel: Bet $5, Get $100 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins.
BetMGM Sportsbook: The largest welcome bonus on the market today, BetMGM offers some free-to-play games to earn bonus bets. Sign up for a BetMGM account with our promo code WSNSPORTS and get the following offer: Get Up to $1,500 in Bonus Bets*. Interested to learn more?
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The rushing yards leader has been tracked yearly since 1932. In 1967, the Super Bowl era began.
Below is the NFL's leading rusher every year since 2010. Since then, only one player has gone back-to-back as the league’s leading rusher.
| Year | Player | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | James Cook | RB | Buffalo Bills |
| 2024 | Saquon Barkley | RB | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 2023 | Christian McCaffrey | RB | San Francisco 49ers |
| 2022 | Josh Jacobs | RB | Las Vegas Raiders |
| 2021 | Jonathan Taylor | RB | Indianapolis Colts |
| 2020 | Derrick Henry | RB | Tennessee Titans |
| 2019 | Derrick Henry | RB | Tennessee Titans |
| 2018 | Ezekiel Elliott | RB | Dallas Cowboys |
| 2017 | Kareem Hunt | RB | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 2016 | Ezekiel Elliott | RB | Dallas Cowboys |
| 2015 | Adrian Peterson | RB | Minnesota Vikings |
| 2014 | DeMarco Murray | RB | Dallas Cowboys |
| 2013 | LeSean McCoy | RB | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 2012 | Adrian Peterson | RB | Minnesota Vikings |
| 2011 | Maurice Jones-Drew | RB | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| 2010 | Arian Foster | RB | Houston Texans |
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