Dirk, Tomlinson warming up, CC BY 2.0
Running backs come in all shapes and sizes – big bruisers, shifty speedsters, goal-line specialists, third-down pass-catching backs, etc. In an era of increasing specialization and running backs by committee, the most coveted backs are still the ones that can play all three downs and represent both a rushing and receiving threat. Any list of the most dangerous all-purpose backs in NFL history who were equally good at running between the tackles and catching a screen pass in the flat would include Marshall Faulk and LaDainian Tomlinson. As football fans and fantasy players of the last 20 years will remember, in their prime, Faulk and Tomlinson were elite offensive weapons who racked up yards, catches, and perhaps most importantly, touchdowns at an extraordinary rate, on their way to Hall of Fame careers. With both players having hung up their cleats and been immortalized in Canton, the question is:
Who was better – Marshall Faulk or LaDainian Tomlinson?
