The 10 best running backs in the history of Raiders

The Raiders are one of the most historic franchises in the NFL, and a big reason for that has been their physical play. Any great physical team has great physical running backs, and the Raiders are no exception.

Some of the greatest rushers ever have worn the Silver and Black, but only one player in the Raiders' top-10 rushing leaders is in the Hall of Fame. That shouldn't be used against any of the franchise's best running backs. Though it doesn't have many legends who are considered among the greatest players ever, Raiders history is filled with plenty of great rushers.

Below, we're going to go through the 10 best running backs to ever wear a Raiders uniform.

Criteria for selection

Many factors go into what makes a player or a team great. For the purposes of this list, career stats are going to play a big role. Every player mentioned is in the top 15 all-time in Raiders rushing yards.

However, stats are only one factor.

Whether a player had an impact on one of the Raiders' many winning teams will also be considered. Factors such as leadership and longevity also matter. While playing for a winning team helps, running backs who were still able to put up good numbers despite being on bad Raiders teams can't be ruled out. The last two decades haven't been particularly successful for the Raiders, but they've employed some excellent running backs in that time.

Lastly, team cultural impact matters. Even if a player didn't play with the Raiders for a long time, if they embodied what it meant to wear the Silver and Black, they deserve recognition.

The top 10 running backs in Raiders history

10. Darren McFadden

Hopes were high for Darren McFadden when he was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Talent was never an issue with the running back as he might be one of the most talented rushers to ever play for the franchise.

However, injuries really put a damper on his career as he only played more than 13 games in a season for the Raiders once. Despite that, he's still seventh all-time in Raiders rushing yards with 4,247 and was incredible in 2010 when he rushed for 1,157 yards in just 13 games while also adding 507 receiving yards.

If it weren't for injuries, he may be much higher on this list.

9. Tyrone Wheatley

No long-time Raiders fan would forget Tyrone Wheatley's stint with the team from the late '90s to the early 2000s.

The former bruiser is ninth all-time in franchise history with 3,682 rushing yards and sixth all-time with 32 touchdowns. His best season came in 2000 when he rushed for 1,046 yards. He was also a key part of the team during its Super Bowl run in 2002. He was never able to carve out a consistent role with the Raiders but put together a solid career with the franchise.

8. Marv Hubbard

Younger Raiders fans might not remember Marv Hubbard, but there's no denying his place in Raiders history. While he was technically a fullback, he's sixth all-time in team rushing yards with 4,394.

Though he was injured during the Raiders' Super Bowl win in 1976, he was a key part of the team prior to getting hurt. He was also a three-time Pro Bowler during his time in Oakland. The wildest stat involving Hubbard is that he averaged 4.8 yards per carry, which is the third-best mark by a fullback ever. He's tied for 18th all-time in yards per carry when you consider every player in NFL history.

7. Clarence Davis

Clarence Davis spent much of his career forming an excellent one-two punch with Hubbard. He finished his career with 3,640 rushing yards, which is 10th in Raiders history.

What puts Davis above Hubbard, though, is his performance in Super Bowl XI. In one of the biggest games in franchise history, Davis rushed for 137 yards on just 16 carries. He also spent his entire career with the Raiders. Davis only played eight seasons in the NFL and may have been higher on the team's all-time rushing list had he played longer.

6. Napoleon Kaufman

Napoleon Kaufman had a short career that only lasted six seasons, but he had a positive impact on the team throughout. The 1995 first-round pick is fifth all-time in Raiders rushing yards with 4,792. However, his most impressive stat is yards per carry. He averaged 4.9 yards every time he touched the ball, which is tied for 16th-best in NFL history.

Kaufman decided to retire young to become a minister, and it's easy to see him having a much more successful NFL career had he been fully committed to football.

5. Clem Daniels

Clem Daniels is not a name that will be familiar to a lot of Raiders fans, but that doesn't change the fact that he's one of the all-time greats in franchise history.

Before the AFC came into existence, Daniels was a monster in the AFL. He was the AFL MVP in 1963 and was an AFL All-Star four times. There's a real argument Daniels should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but that will likely never happen. Regardless, he's fourth all-time in Raiders rushing yards and is one of the greatest players to ever wear the Silver and Black.

4. Mark van Eeghen

The Raiders were in good hands after Hubbard retired as they had Mark van Eeghen on the roster. With 5,907 career rushing yards, he's second all-time for the franchise. Most importantly, he was also a key part of two Super Bowl-winning teams. He had 73 rushing yards in the Raiders' first Super Bowl win in 1976 and then another 75 in the team's win over the Eagles in 1980.

Though van Eeghen only made one Pro Bowl, he rushed for over 1,000 yards in three seasons.

3. Bo Jackson

From a statistical standpoint, Bo Jackson doesn't belong this high on the list. He only had 2,782 rushing yards in his career, which is 15th all-time for the Raiders. However, he might be the most talented running back to ever wear the Silver and Black.

Though he only played four seasons with the team, you still see Jackson jerseys all over the place. His combination of size and speed has gone unmatched in Raiders history.

Sadly, injuries derailed his career, or else he likely would've gone down as an all-timer at the position. Even with a short career, he has to be considered one of the greatest Raiders running backs ever.

2. Josh Jacobs

Putting Josh Jacobs this high could be considered controversial, but from a statistical standpoint, he's arguably the greatest Raiders running back ever. He's third all-time in rushing yards for the team with 5,545 and did that in just five seasons. He's also third in rushing touchdowns with 46.

Had he not left the Raiders, he would've had a real chance to become the franchise's all-time leading rusher. He broke 800 rushing yards in all five seasons with the team and also led the league in rushing in 2022.

Though things didn't end well between the two sides, in the long run, Jacobs will go down as an all-time Raider great.

1. Marcus Allen

To the surprise of no one, Marcus Allen is the greatest Raiders running back ever.

He is easily the all-time franchise leader in rushing yards and touchdowns. He's also a Hall of Famer, Super Bowl MVP and NFL MVP. That's not to mention a six-time Pro Bowler. Allen isn't just the greatest running back in Raiders history, but one of the best in NFL history. His performance in Super Bowl XVIII is one of the greatest ever.

With Jacobs gone, it's now going to be a long time before any running back challenges Allen's title as the greatest Raiders running back ever.

The 10 best running backs in Raiders history by rushing yards