With the rise of PPR leagues and a committee approach in NFL backfields, the importance of running backs for fantasy football has somewhat decreased over the last decade. However, we have still seen two of the top 10 performances in terms of the most fantasy football points by an RB in a single game during that stretch. Let’s examine which RBs have delivered the most fantasy points in a single game, including which player owns the record.
Top 10 Most Fantasy Football Points Scored in a Single Game By an RB
This list only features performances since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970. While fantasy football existed before this date, it was extremely rare and very different, so it makes sense to focus only on the post-merger games.
For many years, non-PPR was the standard scoring format, so that’s what we’ll use in this article. With that said, the PPR top 10 list is at the bottom of the article.
10) Larry Brown | 49.5 Fantasy Points
Washington vs. Eagles | Week 14 | Dec. 16, 1973
We now take a dive all the way back to 1973 for the ninth spot on our list. When you look at Larry Brown’s rushing line, you would not think he had all that great of a day. While 150 yards and a touchdown is impressive in NFL terms, it still only relates to 21 fantasy points.
Yet, it was the contribution to the receiving game that really took Brown’s day to another level. The Washington running back may have had just three receptions, but he took all three to the end zone in combination with 105 yards to add a further 28.5 fantasy points to his total.
9) Mike Anderson | 49.6 Fantasy Points
Broncos at Saints | Week 14 | Dec. 3, 2000
Mike Anderson made an impressive impact in his rookie season in 2000. But it was his Week 14 performance against the Saints that will really stick in the mind of fantasy managers. Anderson took his 37 rushing attempts for 251 yards and found the end zone four times. He added five receiving yards on a single reception for good measure, but most of the damage was done in the run game.
8) Jonathan Taylor | 50.4 Fantasy Points
Colts at Bills | Week 11 | Nov. 21, 2021
Our first appearance of the last decade on this list of most fantasy points by an RB in a single game came from Jonathan Taylor. The Colts RB ground the Bills to dust with a five-touchdown day that was largely amassed within three quarters.
Taylor took his 32 rushing attempts for 185 yards and four touchdowns to do the majority of his damage. However, he tipped himself over 50 fantasy points with 19 receiving yards and a touchdown on three receptions. In a season of jaw-dropping performances from Taylor, this was the statement for his fantasy managers.
7) Joe Mixon | 51.1 Fantasy Points
Bengals vs. Panthers | Week 9 | Nov. 6, 2022
Our most recent appearance on the list of most fantasy points by an RB in a single game was set by Joe Mixon in Week 9 of the 2022 season. Much like Taylor, Mixon’s performance comes on the back of a five-touchdown performance.
Mixon had just 22 rushing attempts but managed 153 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He added 58 yards and a touchdown on his four receptions to finish just a fraction behind Doug Martin on this list.
In a year that had been tough sledding to this point for Mixon, this game accounted for more than a quarter of his total yards and more than half his touchdowns at the end of Week 9 of the 2022 season.
6) Doug Martin | 51.2 Fantasy Points
Buccaneers at Raiders | Week 9 | Nov. 11, 2012
The “muscle hamster” is another player who made quite the impression as a rookie. One such performance during that year from Doug Martin finds its way onto the list in a 70-point shootout between the Buccaneers and Raiders. Martin scored 24 of those points himself, including three explosive plays for a touchdown. He finished with 251 yards and four touchdowns on 25 rushing attempts.
5) Jamaal Charles | 51.5 Fantasy Points
Chiefs at Raiders | Week 15 | Dec. 15, 2013
Jamaal Charles’ performance to find his way onto the list of the most fantasy points by an RB in a single game was somewhat similar to that of Brown back in 1973. However, when you look at Charles’ rushing line, you would not believe he would ever have made this list on that day. Charles posted just 20 yards and a touchdown on eight carries.
MORE: Which WR Has Scored the Most Fantasy Points in a Single Game?
However, in the receiving game, Charles took things to a new level. He hauled in eight receptions on eight targets, half of which he took to the end zone. Add in 195 receiving yards and the five-touchdown day with 215 total yards saw him top 50 fantasy points for the only time in his career.
4) Corey Dillon | 51.6 Fantasy Points
Bengals vs. Titans | Week 15 | Dec. 4, 1997
Corey Dillon’s career was impressive across a more prolonged stretch than previous rookie wonders on this list. However, it is his rookie season in 1997 that we have to go back to when looking for his best fantasy football performance ever in a single game.
In Week 15, Dillon took it to the Tennessee Oilers in a 41-14 demolition. Dillon carried the ball 39 times for 246 yards and four touchdowns. He added another 30 yards in the receiving game to just pip Charles for the fourth spot on this list.
3) Shaun Alexander | 53.1 Fantasy Points
Seahawks vs. Vikings | Week 4 | Sept. 29, 2002
Shaun Alexander is best known for his MVP-winning performance in 2005. However, fantasy managers may more fondly remember his performance in Week 4, which lands him in third on our list of the most fantasy points by an RB in a single game. The most incredible element is that all five of the touchdowns he scored that day came in the first half, including three in the space of just over a minute.
Alexander finished his day with 139 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns, as well as 92 receiving yards and a score through the air.
2) Alvin Kamara | 53.2 Fantasy Points
Saints vs. Vikings | Week 16 | Dec. 25, 2020
Christmas Day in 2020 will live long in the memory for a number of reasons, and Alvin Kamara’s performance on the field might very well be one of them. The electric Saints running back found the end zone six times while racking up 172 total yards. The most amazing part of Kamara’s performance is that an RB arguably best known for his abilities catching the ball scored all six of those touchdowns on the ground.
Which RB Has Scored the Most Fantasy Points in a Single game?
1) Clinton Portis | 55.4 Fantasy Points
Broncos vs. Chiefs | Week 14 | Dec. 7, 2003
Clinton Portis is the player that tops our list of the most fantasy points scored by an RB in a single game. While he may be best known for his time playing in Washington, it was one of his two seasons in Denver that he produced our leading performance. In a tight first half, Portis exchanged touchdowns with Priest Holmes in a game that Denver trailed 21-17 at the half.
However, Portis took the game away from the Chiefs in just over 10 second-half minutes. Touchdown carries of 59, 28, and 53 yards saw Portis score a total of 32 fantasy points on those three carries. He would finish the day with 254 total yards and five rushing touchdowns for our only score of more than 55 fantasy points by an RB in a single game.
Most PPR Fantasy Points By a RB in a Single Game
10. Marshall Faulk | STL vs. SEA | 54.5
9. Joe Mixon | CIN vs. CAR | 55.1
8. Doug Martin | TB @ OAK | 55.2
7. Chris Johnson | TEN vs. HOU | 55.4
6. Priest Holmes | KC @ SEA | 55.7
T-4. LaDainian Tomlinson | SD vs. DEN | 56.1
T-4. Shaun Alexander | SEA vs. MIN | 56.1
3. Alvin Kamara | NO vs. MIN | 56.2
2. Clinton Portis | DEN vs. KC | 57.4
1. Jamaal Charles | KC @ OAK | 59.5