My really wordy response was just to say that no, simply because you don't have a 1,000 rusher, it doesn't mean that none of your backs are good. 1996 flatly disproves that assertion.
Like you though, I did concede that's often a reasonable benchmark. Still, again like you, I'd rather have a 96 style backfield with them both fresh and extremely productive than riding a single horse until it dies from exhaustion.