Minnesota Vikings Yards per Carry Leaders

Career totals with the Vikings and the best single seasons in club history. Includes the 2026 season through October 19: these records are rebuilt every night, so a mark set yesterday is here this morning.

Vikings records →

Adrian Peterson holds the Vikings career record with 4.86 yards per carry. The single-season record is 6.03, by Adrian Peterson in 2012.

YDS TD Y/A ATT Y/G 1D FL

Rate records use the league's own minimums: a season needs 6.25 carries per team game with the club, a career 750+ carries with the club.

All-time Vikings leaders

Career totals with the club

#	Player	With the club	Y/A	G
1	Adrian Peterson	2007–2016	4.86	123
2	Robert Smith	1993–2000	4.83	98
3	Dalvin Cook	2017–2022	4.67	73
4	Darrin Nelson	1982–1992	4.31	129
5	Tommy Mason	1961–1966	4.27	70
6	Ted Brown	1979–1986	4.07	104
7	Chuck Foreman	1973–1979	3.84	93
8	Dave Osborn	1965–1975	3.68	137
9	Bill Brown	1962–1974	3.54	180

Single-season Vikings records

Best seasons in club history

#	Player	Season	Y/A	G
1	Adrian Peterson	2012	6.03	16
2	Daunte Culpepper	2002	5.75	16
3	Adrian Peterson	2007	5.63	14
4	Robert Smith	1997	5.46	14
5	Onterrio Smith	2003	5.41	15
6	Chester Taylor	2007	5.38	14
7	Robert Smith	2000	5.16	16
8	Michael Bennett	2002	5.08	16
9	Dalvin Cook	2020	4.99	14
10	Darrin Nelson	1987	4.90	10
11	Toby Gerhart	2011	4.87	15
12	Adrian Peterson	2008	4.83	16
13	Jordan Mason	2025	4.77	16
14	Robert Smith	1998	4.77	14
15	Jerick McKinnon	2014	4.76	11
16	Hugh McElhenny	1961	4.75	13
17	Terry Allen	1991	4.69	15
18	Adrian Peterson	2011	4.66	12
19	Dalvin Cook	2021	4.65	13
20	Dalvin Cook	2018	4.62	11
21	Alexander Mattison	2019	4.62	13
22	Tommy Mason	1963	4.60	13
23	Robert Smith	1999	4.59	13
24	Adrian Peterson	2010	4.59	15
25	Robert Smith	1995	4.55	9