The NFL's Highest-scoring Apps
Matt Coppa

The NFL's Highest-scoring Apps

Just because you’re watching a four-hour rendition of The Nutcracker with your wife’s theater club doesn’t mean you should miss a second of NFL action. If you’re focused on making sure your fantasy team has a shot to finish in the money -- or if you just want the latest info on your real-life hometown team -- stay yards ahead of the next guy with the latest apps that put this season’s biggest sport in the palm of your hand.

Style and Tech for Men spoke to Appolicious sports app reviewer David Lister for the scoop on the hardest-hitting NFL apps:

1. Pro Football Live

This app should be on top of your holiday hit-list! The game-tracking feature charts each play of every game with scores, stats and injury reports that are updated continuously. Downloadable offline browsing allows you to read NFL articles even when you have no 3G or Wi-Fi available -- a feature unavailable in most other football apps.

Platforms: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, J2ME, BlackBerry, WAP

Get it: Plusmo.com

2. Sportacular

This is one of Lister’s favorites for a simple reason: “It’s stable. You can filter news sources and it has up-to-the-minute stats, standings and scores without any glitches,” he says. “It offers a clean and easy-to-use interface with as much information as possible.” Since it’s a general sports app, you can also use it to track every sport from the NFL to the LPGA.

Platforms: iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad

Get it: CitizenSportsInc.com

3. CBS Sports Pro Football

Another general sports app, this has a CBSSportsLine.com fantasy function that lets you set lineups, add/drop players and track their stats. It also has video features, including NFL game-day highlights, previews and fantasy updates with CBS sports experts.

Platforms: iPhone, iPod Touch

Get it: CBSSports.com

4. NFL Sunday Ticket/Direct TV to Go

On the road and can’t find your team on the tube at your Holiday Inn? If you already subscribe to the DIRECTV Sunday Ticket package, this app allows users to watch every live game through streams on their mobile devices. Sunday Ticket also has on-demand video highlights. You don’t pay for the app itself, but the To Go package costs $50 in addition to the Sunday Ticket price. (Yeah, it’s pricey, but if you’re jonesing for your home team it’s worth every penny.)

Platforms: iPhone, iPad, Android (select), BlackBerry, Windows Mobile devices, Palm Pre

Get it: DIRECTV.com

5. Fantasy Football Monster ’10

If you have multiple fantasy teams on different league sites, then you’ll want this monster app to control them all. It lets you easily manage multiple teams on Yahoo or ESPN by adding or dropping players, automatically adjusting your lineup, and checking on injury reports and live scores. “I love that this works with multiple sites and it makes it easier to edit your team and search for players,” says Lister.

Platorm: iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad

Get it: FantasyMonsterApp.com

6. Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet ’10

If you’ve had enough of finishing last in your league, then it’s time to pick up the best-selling fantasy football app of the past two years. On draft day, talent rankings will offer you a list of the best players to select for your league’s score system.

Platforms: iPhone, iPad

Get it: 290Design.com

7. My Fantasy Teams

If your fantasy league is with Yahoo, then it’s time to jump to the major leagues! “Yahoo!’s official fantasy app is terrible. It’s really stripped-down and doesn’t have a lot of features,” says Lister. He recommends My Fantasy Teams for Yahoo! leaguers which allows users to do everything they can do on the actual site -- except draft players.

Platforms: iPhone, BlackBerry

Get it: MyFantasyTeamsApp.com

8. NFL Pro Tweets

Ochocinco said what? Find out which player is talking trash about their upcoming matchups -- and who has had a few too many drinks the night after the game. This official app of the NFLPA gives you organized access to every player’s tweets.

Platforms: iPhone, Android

Get it: NFLPlayers.com

9. Madden ’11 І $7.99

Who cares if your significant other is watching Real Housewives on the TV with your game console? You can still play the most popular NFL video game ever with this mobile version of Madden. “It’s by far the best football app on the iPhone and best sports game overall,” says Lister. The game’s stunning graphics, iPhone-specific controls and realistic game play are what make this one his favorite. You can even go multiplayer via Bluetooth and get roster updates for free.

Platform: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch

Get it: EAMobile.com

10. LED Football Player vs. Player

Back in the day, the power of the NFL was already in a beloved handheld device. Instead of high-def action with realistic players, however, it featured red dots that you had to maneuver around other red dots. Ah, the good old days! Try this throwback replica of the Mattel Classic Football game on your iPad. Here’s the best part: You won’t have to fight your younger brother for it. Kids … what do they know?

Platform: iPad

Get it: LEDFootball.com

The best thing about these apps? They’re either free or very reasonably priced. Try them out for yourself and see which will enhance your enjoyment of the game the most. Or you could always buy a football … just sayin’.

Matt Coppa is the entertainment director of Star Magazine and a freelance sports, entertainment, tech and lifestyle writer for the Web. He is also the former senior editor of Men's Fitness, Life & Style Weekly and Stuff magazines.

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