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The final standings for all rushing yards leaders are official now that the 2021 NFL regular season is complete. Seven running backs eclipsed 1,000 yards this season. Ezekiel Elliot barely got there, totaling 1,002 yards while Antonio Gibson recorded 1,037. Here are the five running backs that lead the NFL in rushing this season.
2021 NFL rushing yards leaders
#5 - Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings - 1,159 yards
Dalvin Cook eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards for the third consecutive season for the Minnesota Vikings. He continues to be the engine that drives their offense, while being one of the most consistent running backs in the NFL. He has averaged over 4.5 yards per carry in every season of his five-year career.
#4 - Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers - 1,200 yards
Najee Harris had one of the best seasons of all 2021 NFL rookies. He rejuvenated the Pittsburgh Steelers' rushing attack, which was missing for them last season. In addition to providing solid production on the ground, he proved to be useful in the passing game as well. He contributed 74 receptions for 467 yards. He, also, showed excellent ball security, going the entire season without a fumble.
Rushing yards leaders of the 2021 NFL season
Here are the NFL leaders in rushing yards at the conclusion of the 2021 season.
#3 - Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals - 1,205 yards
Joe Mixon put together the best season of his five-year career. He recorded 1,205 rushing yards, 314 receiving yards, 292 carries, 13 rushing touchdowns and three receiving touchdowns. He set new career highs in all five of those statistics. What makes his accomplishments even more impressive is that he missed ten games in the 2020 season. He bounced back in a big way this year.
#2 - Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns - 1,259 yards
Nick Chubb is one of the most consistently efficient running backs in the entire NFL. He has eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards in each of his last three seasons. He only missed the mark once in his career, when he was just four yards short during his rookie season. He has, also, recorded, at least, five yards per carry in every season of his career.
#1 - Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts - 1,811 yards
Jonathan Taylor won the 2021 rushing yardage title by a wide margin. He cleared second place by 552 yards in a landslide victory. He, also, led the entire NFL this season in carries, rushing touchdowns, carries of 20 yards or more and first downs gained.
His spectacular season has made him one of the top favorites to win the 2021 Offensive Player of the Year award. He is also a dark horse candidate to be selected for the 2021 NFL MVP award. Taylor has emerged as one of the top running backs in the NFL in just his second season.
