5)  Thomas Jones: New York Jets running back. Jones has done well this year with the addition of Brett Favre. Thomas last season had  1,119 receiving yards and only one touchdown. Jones this year with help from Favre had 1,312 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Jones without doubt has proven that with a good quarterback that knows how the game is played, can help any player with talent become a superstar on the field.
4)  Clinton Portis:  Washington Redskins running back. Portis finished his finest season since 2005. Clinton at the beginning of the season seemed unstoppable. Portis since the Redskins by-week had struggled to do half as well as he had done. Portis slowly dropped back his performance but is still ranked as the number four running back by the NFL. Portis ended this season with 1,487 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns.
3)   DeAngelo Williams:  Carolina Panthers running back. Williams seemed to be doing so-so in the first four weeks of the regular season. Then week five he broke out and showed everyone what he was made of. Williams from then until week nine once again did okay. DeAngelo since the Panthers by-week seems unstoppable. Williams even on a bad week has out performed many other running backs in the league. DeAngelo at the end of regular season had 1,518 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns.
2) Michael Turner:  Atlanta Falcons running back. Turner has shown that just because he was a "back-up " running back for LaDainian Tomlinson in San Diego, he is the man of the hour. Michael and Matt Ryan have taken the Falcons well past where everyone thought they would be. Michael finished the regular season with 1,699 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns. Not to bad coming from a team with a rookie quarterback and a "back-up" running back.
1)   Adrian Peterson: Minnesota Vikings running back. The Vikings needed a win to clinch their division and host a playoff game in Week 17 against a Giants squad that had nothing to play for. They got it, winning 20-19 and advancing into the postseason. Adrian Peterson got off to a slow start but sped off for a 67-yard touchdown run in the first half and ended the game with 103 rush yards and the score. Peterson regular season ends with 1,757 yards rushing, with 10 rushing touchdowns. Peterson only had 58 receiving yards on Michael Turner, so by the end of the postseason this list might change, but as far as the regular season these are the top five running backs.