Action Figure News

McFarlane Toys is changing things up for the 2008 NFL season, offering a third modern football line of Sports Picks for the first time since 2004. Four years ago, those three Sports Picks lines (NFL 8, 9 & 10) were released a little too close together - this year's Wave 3 is spaced into a mid-December release, intended to give NFL collectors something new as the season heads into the playoffs. This series features repaints only; no new sculpts are included.

Here are the NFL 2008 Wave 3 figures, featuring three Sports Picks debuts and one of the league's coolest retro uniforms:

Clinton Portis 2: Washington's dynamite running back was previously only available in this hurdling pose as part of a two-pack (the Ahman Green figure also used this pose). This version is available single-carded for the first time, and renovated into Washington's stylish throwback uniform.

Donald Driver: There's a lot of drama in Packers camp this summer, but none of it surrounds Driver. The classy veteran enters his 10th season looking to catch 1,000 yards of passes for the fifth straight year.

Jay Cutler: The leader of the re-vamped Broncos had a significant off-season, discovering (and revealing) his Type 1 diabetes. Now under treatment, Cutler believes he'll turn in a dominant season in Denver.

Marion Barber III: Barber has always been a dangerous part of the Cowboys' offense, but the exit of Julius Jones gives him the fulltime starting running back job for 2008. With Dallas an NFC playoff favorite, Barber will play a leading role.

2008 NFL Wave 3 is scheduled to arrive on shelves in mid-December.