Cincinnati Bengals: All-time rushing leaders in franchise history

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Charles Alexander, Cincinnati Bengals (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

13. Charles Alexander (2,645)

Bengals RB from 1979 to 1985

With the 12th overall pick in the 1979 NFL Draft, the Bengals selected Charles Alexander out of LSU. He went on to play in Cincinnati for the entirety of his seven-year career and never put up outstanding numbers during that time.

His best year came in 1980, his second season in the league, where he rushed for 702 yards and two touchdowns. His career-high in touchdowns was three, which he put up in the 1983 season.

The big reason why Alexander never got to put up massive numbers despite being a first-round pick is that Essex Johnson was the starting running back during that time. We’ll discuss Johnson more in detail later but he led the team in rushing yards during the first five years of Alexander’s Bengals tenure, then Kinnebrew led the team in 1984, and James Brooks in 1985.

Alexander never put up stellar numbers but he’s still 13th all-time in rushing yards for the franchise.