George Reed is an automatic choice as the best running back in Saskatchewan Roughriders history.

George is No. 1. Reed all about it!

Unsurprisingly, the legendary George Reed tops our latest top-10 poll, which rates the best running backs — fullbacks included, obviously — in Saskatchewan Roughriders history.

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This is one of 11 top-10 polls, which will eventually list (appropriately enough) 110 names in commemoration of the Roughriders’ 110th anniversary.

Following today’s instalment, we will also rate the top 10 receivers, offensive linemen, defensive linemen, linebackers, defensive backs, special-teams players, builders and early-era players (1910 to 1945).

To conclude the series, we will rank the top 10 players in Roughriders history.

All three panellists — yours truly, plus Riders historians Bob Calder and Tom Fuzesy — listed 10 people in each category. A first-place vote is worth 10 points, a second-place vote is worth nine, etc.

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And now, we will hand it off to George to begin the illustrious list. Point totals are in parentheses.

Photo by Troy Fleece / Regina Leader-Post

1. George Reed (30 points): A perfect score of 30 was a given, considering that Reed is the Roughriders’ runaway all-time leader in rushing yards (16,116) and overall touchdowns (137). In 1965, he set franchise records for rushing yards in a season (1,768) and a game (268) en route to becoming the first Roughrider to be named the CFL’s most outstanding player. The following year, he rushed for 133 yards (including a 31-yard TD) in Saskatchewan’s first Grey Cup victory . If another poll is done 110 years from now — and I’m planning on it — this Order of Canada recipient will still be No. 1.

Photo by Bryan Schlosser / Regina Leader-Post

2. Wes Cates (25): Cates is second all-time, and first among mortals, on the Roughriders’ career rushing-yardage list (4,761). Saskatchewan reached the Grey Cup in three of his five years with the team. That is hardly coincidental when you consider his talents as a rusher, receiver and blocker. And how about pure guts? Cates played (and excelled) in the 2007 West Division final and Grey Cup despite a hairline fracture in his left foot. Also of note: 16 touchdowns in 2010. Cates is second all-time, and first among mortals, on the Roughriders’ career rushing-yardage list (4,761). Saskatchewan reached the Grey Cup in three of his five years with the team. That is hardly coincidental when you consider his talents as a rusher, receiver and blocker. And how about pure guts? Cates played (and excelled) in the 2007 West Division final and Grey Cup despite a hairline fracture in his left foot. Also of note: 16 touchdowns in 2010.

Photo by Don Healy / Regina Leader-Post

3. Kory Sheets (19): Talk about stats Sheets! This sensational tailback rushed for 2,875 regular-season yards and 23 TDs in only two years with the Roughriders. In 2013, a 2,000-yard season was in his sights before a knee injury forced him to miss the better part of three games. He also sat out the regular-season finale, a meaningless game, as a precaution. Even so, Sheets rushed for 1,598 yards. As a punctuation mark, he was named the most valuable player of the 2013 Grey Cup game after rushing for 197 yards and two majors in the Roughriders’ 45-23 home-field victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

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Photo by Patrick Pettit / Regina Leader-Post

4. Mike Saunders (16): A tremendous dual threat, as evidenced by his 1994 yardage totals of 1,205 (rushing) and 613 (receiving). That year, he scored eight majors along the ground and seven more through the air.

Photo by Regina Leader-Post files

5. (tie) Bobby Marlow (15): Despite being selected by the New York Giants in the first round (eighth overall) of the 1953 NFL draft, this former University of Alabama Crimson Tide star joined the Roughriders and proceeded to excel as a fullback and a linebacker through 1958.

Photo by Josh Sawka / Regina Leader-Post

5. (tie) Kenton Keith (15): Twice a 1,000-yard rusher, Keith was a home-run threat after accepting a handoff. He basically owned two playoff games — Roughriders victories in the West semi-finals of 2003 (at Winnipeg Blue Bombers) and 2006 (at Calgary Stampeders). On Aug. 19, 2006, he had 100-plus rushing and receiving yards in the same game. Yards from scrimmage: 249.

Photo by Jim Ryan

7. Ed Buchanan (12): How about Buchanan’s 1964 season? He rushed for 1,390 yards — averaging a stratospheric 7.8 yards per carry — and caught 36 passes for 681 yards. Yards from scrimmage: 2,071. He also excelled in the 1966 Grey Cup.

Photo by Regina Leader-Post files

8. Ken Carpenter (9): A multi-purpose weapon, Carpenter scored 18 touchdowns — an enduring franchise single-season record — in 1955. He added another 14 majors the following year. In 1958, he finished second on the Roughriders in receiving yards (576) and led the team in interceptions (four). He returned one pick for a 72-yard TD.

Photo by Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame

9. Bobby Thompson (8): There weren’t many carries to be had when you lined up beside Reed. Recognizing that, Lancaster loved to use Thompson — a speedy halfback — on pass routes. Thompson led the Green and White in receiving yards in 1969, 1972 and 1973.

Photo by Josh Sawka / Regina Leader-Post

10. Corey Holmes (6): Best known as an elite return specialist, Holmes was also a talented ball-carrier and a productive receiver.

Also receiving votes: Eddie (Dynamite) James (5); Greg Grassick (5).