There is tough competition for the top spot on the list of the greatest 49ers running backs of all time. If we look back to the old days, we have Hall of Famers Hugh McElhenny and Joe Perry. If we look to the Montana years, we have Roger Craig. If we peer into the 21st century, we’ll see Frank Gore.

Who will come out on top? Keep reading this Betway Insider top 10 to find out. As usual, all stats are courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com.

Who is the San Francisco 49ers starting Running Back for the 2023 NFL season?

The 2023 49ers starting running back is RB Christian McCaffrey, who was a Pro Bowler in 2022.

San Francisco 49ers Running Backs History

To define the 49ers running back history, you have to look to the 1950s. The “Million Dollar backfield” featured (in addition to QB Y.A. Tittle) stars like Hugh McElhenny and Joe Perry, both of whom are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Famous San Francisco 49ers Running Backs

Other famous 49ers running backs include Frank Gore, the team’s all-time leader in rushing, and Roger Craig, the first man to record 1000+ rushing and receiving yards in the same season.

Ranking the Top 10 Greatest San Francisco 49ers Running Backs of all time

  1. Wendell Tyler, 1983-1986

Former 49ers RB Wendell Tyler spent the first half of his NFL career as a Los Angeles Ram, twice eclipsing the 1000+ yard barrier. He joined San Francisco ahead of the 1983 season and was immediately the starter on a playoff team.

Tyler had his best campaign in the Bay in 1984, rushing for 1262 yards and seven scores as he made the Pro Bowl. The 49ers romped to a dominant 15-1 season and the Super Bowl title. He ranks 11th in franchise history for total rushing yards, and his 5.0 yards/carry mark is the second-best of any running back in the top 15.

  1. Christian McCaffrey, 2022-Present

At the time of writing, current 49ers starting RB Christian McCaffrey has played in just 21 games for San Francisco. He’s already put up a staggering 2399 total yards and 24 scores: that aggregates to around a full season of 2000 total yards and 20 scores.

Now injuries are always the difficulty for the former Carolina Panthers, The 49ers assumed a massive risk by trading a second, third, and fourth-rounder for the All-Pro running back. The verdict: so far so good.

8-6 (tie).  J.D. Smith, 1956-1964

Ken Williard, 1965-1973

Hugh McElhenny, 1952-1960

We’re grouping three 49ers running backs of yesteryear for the 7, 8, and 9 spots on this list. That’s not to demean any of these stars: it’s just more practical this way.

Let’s start with J.D. Smith, a fullback/running back from the pre-merger era. Smith tallied 4370 rushing yards and 37 rushing yards for the 49ers, the sixth and fifth most in team history, respectively. He lined up alongside Hugh McElhenny and Joe Perry (more on both later) who blitzed the league in the late 1950s. Smith was a 2x Pro Bowler and had his best campaign in 1959 when he rushed for 1036 yards and 10 scores.

Former 49ers RB Ken Willard came along a little later, starring for the 49ers in the moribund years of the late 1960s. He did his part, making four out of five Pro Bowls from 1965 to 1969 to keep San Francisco competitive. The team improved by 1970 and he finally got to sniff postseason play. In all, Willard ranks fourth in both 49ers career rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.

Hugh McElhenny might be the most well-known of this bunch. He never had gaudy raw yardage totals, eclipsing 1000+ total yards from scrimmage just twice in his nine seasons in San Francisco. McElhenny was very well received around the league, cracking a stunning 5x First-team All-Pro squads and 6x Pro bowls. He is a member of the 1950s NFL All-Decade team and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

  1. Ricky Watters, 1992-1994

Former San Francisco RB Ricky Watters lasted just three seasons in the Bay, but he certainly left his mark. The second-round pick ripped off three straight Pro Bowl campaigns to start his career, highlighted by 1596 total yards in the 1994 campaign.

Watters was particularly dominant in the postseason for the 49ers. He rushed for a whopping six scores in just two 1993 postseason games, including five against the hapless New York Giants. In seven career playoff games for San Francisco, he totaled 10 scores (including three in Super Bowl XXIX.

  1. Garrison Hearst, 1997-2003

Don’t let former 49ers RB Garrison Hearst’s timeline in San Francisco confuse you: he missed both the 1999 and 2000 seasons due to a severe ankle injury. Before the injury, he had two stellar campaigns in the Bay, including a 1570-yard Pro Bowl 1998 campaign.

Hearst would storm back in 2001 by winning the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award, rushing for 1206 yards to make the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career. He remained effective in both 2002 and 2003 before the team eventually moved on.

In all, Hearst has the fifth most rushing yards in franchise history.

  1. Joe Perry, 1948-1960, 1963

Joe “The Jet” Perry was one of the first stars of the NFL, full-stop. In fact, he retired as the league’s all-time leading rusher in 1963. Perry had some dominant seasons, twice leading the NFL in rushing yards, three times leading the league in rushing touchdowns, and winning the NFL MVP award in 1954.

The 2x First-team All-Pro made the 1950s All-Decade squad alongside teammate Hugh McElhenny. Perry still has the second-most rushing yards in 49ers history and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

  1. Roger Craig, 1983-1990

Former 49ers running back Roger Craig the RB for the winningest era in franchise history. The 3x Super Bowl Champion did his part to contribute, making 4x Pro Bowl teams and 1x First-team All-Pro nod.

The All-Pro season came in 1988, when a dominant Craig also won the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award by rushing for 1502 yards. His best year may have been 1985, when Craig became the first player in NFL history to have 1000+ rushing and receiving yards in the same season.

Craig was a member of the NFL’s 1980s All-Decade and has the third most rushing yards in franchise history.

  1. Frank Gore, 2005-2014

The best running back in 49ers history goes to ol’ reliable Frank Gore. While he may not be ticketed for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he did have a remarkable career in the Bay:

  • 1000+ yards in eight of ten seasons
  • 5x Pro Bowls
  • 2189 yards and a Second-team All-Pro berth in 2006
  • The franchise record for rushing yards by over 2000

Gore was a smash hit among 49ers fans for his ultimate consistency.

Parameters of Rankings 

Rankings are made based on a combination of 1) individual accomplishments, 2) team success, 3)

franchise legacy, and 4) personal accolades.

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