Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 21-66@ Florida | 3 | 8 | 2.7 | 0 | 3 | Season-high 8 yds |
| Wk 2 | W 38-30vs Navy | 4 | 5 | 1.3 | 0 | 4 | |
| Total | 7 | 13 | 2.0 | 0 | 4 |
#28
Kaden Shields-Dutton
Junior running back for Florida Atlantic. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′11″ · 215 lb · Orlando, FL · Edgewater
CFB Index 53 · #110 of 326 RBsHigh confidenceReturning to Florida Atlantic for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
13
rushing yards · 2026
1.9 per carry · 2 catches
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 5 rush yds, 8 rec yds, vs Navy
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 running back for Florida Atlantic. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Florida Atlantic in 2024.
Kaden Shields-Dutton
Wins in space out of the backfield. Kaden Shields-Dutton has been at Florida Atlantic through two head coaches in three seasons. The receipt: 8 rush yds, 6 rec yds against Florida — Week 1, 2026.
13 RUSH YDS · 0 RUSH TD · 7 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2024
- Signed with Florida Atlantic3-star out of Edgewater
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Florida Atlantic
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coaches2024
Florida Atlantic
2025–2026era →
Zach Kittley
Florida Atlantic
Coaching transition mid-career: Chad Lunsford → Zach Kittley. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2024Florida Atlantic3-9HC: Chad Lunsford · Run-leaning
2025Florida Atlantic4-8HC: Zach Kittley · Pass-heavy, fast tempo
2026Florida Atlantic1-1HC: Zach Kittley · Balanced, fast tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
High confidence
Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (7)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 6.5 YDS/g, 2.0 YPC, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Zach Kittley
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-AAC
Based on 2025: #11 of 37 American Athletic RBs
How the All-AAC estimate is computed
22% estimated, 95% confidence interval 19–25%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Florida Atlantic | 7 | 13 | 1.9 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Florida Atlantic | 83 | 460 | 5.5 | 6 | -- |
| 2024 | Florida Atlantic | 12 | 56 | 4.7 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 102 | 529 | 5.2 | 6 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Florida Atlantic | 2 | 14 | 7.0 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Florida Atlantic | 17 | 108 | 6.4 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | Florida Atlantic | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 19 | 122 | 6.4 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 38–30
vs Navy
5 rush yds (4 car)
Edged out Navy at home in a shootout.
With C. Veltkamp — 386 yds · 5 TD · 0 INT · QBR 83.4 · -22 rush yds (5 car) · E. Messer — 8 rec · 179 yds · 2 TD
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 2 · Navy · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA -1.14(12:35) No Huddle-Shotgun #28 K.Shields-Dutton rush left for 0 yards to the FAU48 (#53 M.Bleazard)
- Week 2 · Navy · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +0.91(13:08) No Huddle-Shotgun #10 C.Veltkamp pass complete short left to #28 K.Shields-Dutton caught at FAU20, for 8 yards to the FAU33 (#8 A.Rose)
- Week 2 · Navy · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.80(14:55) No Huddle-Shotgun #28 K.Shields-Dutton rush middle for 1 yard loss to the FAU24 (#95 G.Willis; #6 P.Hamilton)
- Week 1 · Florida · 3&3 · Q3 · EPA -0.64(03:17) No Huddle-Shotgun #28 K.Shields-Dutton rush left for 2 yards gain to the FLA48 (#20 K.Clark; #22 K.Asare)
- Week 2 · Navy · 2&10 · Q4 · EPA -0.60(12:08) No Huddle-Shotgun #28 K.Shields-Dutton rush right for 2 yards gain to the FAU50 (#99 C.Herock; #90 I.Ozurumba)
- Week 1 · Florida · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.43(03:54) No Huddle-Shotgun #28 K.Shields-Dutton rush middle for 3 yards gain to the FAU46 (#91 J.McCloud)
- Week 1 · Florida · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +0.39(00:17) No Huddle-Shotgun #10 C.Veltkamp pass complete short left to #28 K.Shields-Dutton caught at FAU38, for 6 yards to the FAU49 (#5 M.Graham), out of bounds
- Week 2 · Navy · 2&2 · Q1 · EPA +0.12(12:48) No Huddle-Shotgun #28 K.Shields-Dutton rush right for 4 yards gain to the FAU37 (#93 A.Lyczek), 1ST DOWN
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Deployed as a receiver as much as a runner. Value is in space, not between the tackles.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Florida Atlantic
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · Florida Atlantic
Returning around him
- 68% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
- Transfer portal: -8 net (22 in / 30 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Florida Atlantic · Last season: 4-8 · Talent rank #98 · 2026 recruiting class #130
DNA match
Player DNA
Satellite Back
Deployed as a receiver as much as a runner. Value is in space, not between the tackles.
RB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Israel Abanikanda’s 2021 season.
79%match
NFL Rd 5
Matches Israel on
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Yards / reception
Differs from Israel on
Recruiting rating (lower)
EPA / carry (adj) (higher)
Rush TD rate (higher)
Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Asim Rose’s path through Kentucky.
98%match
#3
Cooper Wallace
94%
Matches Asim on
Yards per carry
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Israel Abanikanda's sophomore season at Pittsburgh (2021).
79%match
1st-team All-AmericanNFL Rd 5
Matches Israel on
Total rush EPA (college ability)
Yards / reception
Rush TD rate
Differs from Israel on
Class year (lower)
Recruiting rating (lower)
Background
Florida Atlantic Junior (2026) Named to preseason Athlon Sports All-Conference fourth team Sophomore (2025) Handed the rock five times and ended the night with 25 yards on the ground and added a three-yard reception versus Maryland Recorded six carries for a total of 35 yards versus FAMU and scor...
The backfield · Florida Atlantic
- #28Kaden Shields-Dutton460 rushing yards · 2025
- #21Ethan Ervin25 rushing yards · 2025
- #20Joshua Harriott18 rushing yards · 2025
- #34Germanuel Tanelus2 rushing yards · 2025
- #22Brady Tillman2 games · 2026
2 more on the roster · Florida Atlantic team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology