My friend Bob emailed a few days ago looking for all the big stories he needed to catch up on before heading to draft day. I was taken aback he wasn't keeping up to date with our non-stop news scroll. It appears the rest of America doesn't always share my fascination with the daily ups-and-downs of Chris Perry.

There are jobs to go to, families to take care of, and (gasp) other sports. The folks here at NBC seem distracted by this whole "Olympics" phenomenon, which thankfully didn't get in my way Thursday night. J.T. O'Sullivan vs. Kyle Orton, baby!

For all the Bobs out there, get caught up below with the 30 essential news items to know before your draft this weekend. True newshounds can probably skip this article.

And to all Bobs out there that haven't bought our online draft guide: Draft day will get much easier with our up-to-the-minute rankings, projections, cheat sheets, and tiers.

1. Chad Johnson's shoulder is a mystery

Ocho Cinco off-season of distcontent ended with him at training camp on time. He also got back on the field quickly following off-season ankle surgery. Just when it looked like one of the most reliable fantasy assets of the decade cemented his second-round status, a shoulder injury in the preseason knocked him to uncertainty again.

No one knows when Johnson will be back. That's partly why Chris Henry is back on the team, even if Henry isn't eligible to play until Week 5. There is some fear that Johnson could miss a big chunk of the season, and some optimism out there that he'll be back before Week 1. That makes him a risky pick for this weekend's drafters. Plan on him missing a few games, and be pleasantly surprised if he's ready to play right away.

2. Rudi rebound already in trouble

Rudi Johnson looked broken down in 2007 while trying to play through a hamstring injury. The same problem has kept him out for nearly all of training camp, allowing Chris Perry to pass him on the depth chart. Perry has his own long injury history, but he's now our top-ranked Bengals back. Johnson's Average Draft Position in the fifth round is about five rounds too high. We'd rather take Kenny Watson as a deep reserve pick.

3. Marvin Harrison is more likely to play in Week 1 than Peyton Manning

That's one of those scandalous headlines to make you click on an article. Except you have already clicked on this one, so it's just pointless. Both players have a chance to play in the opener, but Harrison is far safer. Harrison's legal problems have magically disappeared, and his knee has looked good in the preseason. Don't expect the old Harrison, but he looks undervalued in the fourth round.

Manning, on the other hand, has recovered slowly from a procedure to remove an infected bursa sac from his left knee. His status for Week 1 won't be certain until the week of the game. There are a lot "whispers" surrounding Manning's recovery that suggest the Colts are more concerned long-term than they are letting on, but it could be normal NFL gossip. We'll know more when we see if he practices or not next week. If you can't wait that long to find out, we wouldn't knock Manning too far in the draft. He's still Peyton Manning.

4. Kevin Curtis won't go for 221 yards again anytime soon

Last year's number one Kevin Curtis is expected to miss at least half the season after undergoing sports hernia surgery. This is an injury that tends to linger, so it's hard to imagine stashing him before the last few rounds on draft day.

With Reggie Brown also banged-up, rookie DeSean Jackson and Hank Baskett will see more throws. Just like the old days of Pinkston and Thrash, the Eagles receivers aren't worth taking early.

5. Ricky Freaking Williams passed Ronnie Brown on the depth chart

With six NFL carries in the last three seasons, Ricky is fresh! He's looked it during an impressive string of practices and preseason efforts. He probably won't stay healthy for long, but it would be a surprise if Williams doesn't get more carries than Brown in September. Brown is still exceedingly talented and will be ready to play Week 1. We bet on Brown having more fantasy value than Williams over the course of the season.

6. Antonio Gates is on track

With more than two weeks to go before the opener, Gates was back on the practice field in San Diego. He quickly participated in team drills, which would support Gates' belief he'll be ready for Week 1. Take Gates ahead of Jason Witten and Kellen Winslow, although the gap has closed.
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