Throughout the past two seasons, Todd Gurley has emerged as one of the best and most versatile running backs in the NFL. There are only four players who have rushed for at least 2,000 yards during the 2017 and 2018 seasons combined. Gurley leads them all in receptions (123), receiving yards (1,368), and receiving touchdowns (10). Similarly, Gurley leads all nine backs who have at least 100 catches over the past two years in both rushing yards (2,546) and rushing touchdowns (30). 

The way Sean McVay and company use him as the basis of the entire offense is nearly unparalleled in today's NFL. Or at least, that was the case until Gurley suffered an injury late in the regular season. He missed the Rams' Week 16 and Week 17 games due to the knee ailment, and C.J. Anderson stepped up in his place. Anderson was simply incredible in those two contests, rushing 43 times for 299 yards and two scores. In the playoffs, Anderson has maintained a role in the offense, and in last week's NFC title game, worked as the lead back ahead of Gurley. 

Against the Saints, Gurley was on the field for just 32 of 68 snaps. That 47.0 percent snap rate was easily his lowest of the season. He'd played at least 75 percent of the team's snaps in 12 of his 14 regular season games, and was even at 55 percent when splitting work with Anderson in the Rams' divisional round win over the Cowboys. More than just his snap rate, though, it was his lack of involvement in the offense that stood out. Gurley totaled just five touches in the game -- the fewest he's had in any game of his career. He had only seven opportunities to touch the ball (four carries, three targets), the fewest since the first game of his career, when he was eased into the lineup following his return from a knee injury suffered during college. 

Still, the Patriots expect to see a whole lot of Gurley during Super Bowl LIII, which you can stream right here on CBSSports.com or on the CBS Sports app. Linebacker Dont'a Hightower says they're preparing for Gurley to do everything possible. 

"They are using him in a lot more [ways] than you have seen in the past and I think that is something that really helps him," Hightower said, per the Boston Herald. "He's a great running back with the ball in his hands and he's a great athlete without the ball in his hands. So, any chance you try to get him the ball and I don't expect them not to. We are doing everything we can to learn about him."

There's a lot to learn. Even when Gurley doesn't get the ball, the play-action pass is a massive part of the Rams' offensive game plan, and as mentioned earlier, he is a fantastic receiver. The Rams insist that Gurley is healthy and was just rotated out of the last game for other reasons. With two weeks to let his knee heal, perhaps that'll indeed be the case for the Super Bowl. If not, though, the Patriots should be ready for a whole bunch of Anderson as well.