As we look ahead to Week 9 of the 2021 NFL season, there are four teams on bye weeks that fantasy football managers have to be aware of before making decisions on the waiver wire this week.

The four teams on bye are the Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Football Team. Here’s a look at some key players fantasy managers will have to replace:

Lions: RBs D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams, TE T.J. Hockenson

Buccaneers: QB Tom Brady, RB Leonard Fournette, WRs Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown, TE Rob Gronkowski

Seahawks: QB Russell Wilson, RBs Chris Carson and Alex Collins, WRs DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett

Washington: QB Taylor Heinicke, RBs Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic, WR Terry McLaurin, TEs Logan Thomas (IR) and Ricky Seals-Jones

Adding to the bye week players, there are some injured ones to replace, also, like Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry, for example.

Here’s a look at the best waiver wire options at each position for Week 9.

QB Mike White, New York Jets

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After becoming only the second rookie in NFL history to throw for 400 yards in his debut since at least 1950, White immediately becomes a factor on the waiver wire this week.

Admittedly, starting him is very risky since he has played just one game, but he does get a favorable matchup against a Colts defense giving up the fifth-most fantasy points per game to signal-callers.

If you have an open roster spot, White is at least worth stashing for the time being just in case he turns out to be for real.

QB Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

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We went with Tua a few weeks ago as a bye-week replacement suggestion for your team, and it paid off big time after he threw for 291 yards and four scores.

For this week, we’re going back to the well once again. Tagovailoa gets a matchup with a Houston Texans defense ceding the eighth-most fantasy points per contest to quarterbacks this season.

RB Boston Scott, Philadelphia Eagles

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With Miles Sanders on IR for at least the next two games, we like Scott as the top option in the Eagles’ backfield, something he proved he was on Sunday against the Lions.

The Eagles had three backs (Scott, Jordan Howard and Kenneth Gainwell) all total at least 12 carries each, but Scott’s 5.0 yards per carry were best. He also found the end zone twice, as did Howard. Gainwell did the least out of the three.

Scott has routinely been the go-to guy for the Eagles the past few years when Sanders has missed time, and we expect that to continue moving forward.

Here’s how we’d rank the three backs in terms of priority:

  1. Boston Scott
  2. Jordan Howard
  3. Kenneth Gainwell

Scott is immediately a starting option, also, as the Eagles draw a Los Angeles Chargers defense giving up the third-most fantasy points per game to backs.

RBs Adrian Peterson and Jeremy McNichols, Tennessee Titans

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With the devastating, long-term injury to Derrick Henry, the Titans have to replace the league’s biggest backfield workload, something they figure to do with multiple backs.

As of right now, the team has Peterson and McNichols to carry the load. It’s very possible another back is added ahead of Week 9, which would certainly complicate things, but this is what we have to work with at the moment.

Peterson figures to be the primary runner, while McNichols will mix in as a change-of-pace option. Peterson is the better bet overall, while McNichols provides value in PPR formats more than anything else.

McNichols was already third on the Titans in receiving yards, so an expected uptick in carries could make him a viable flex play. Peterson is a flex play with RB2 upside depending on what his actual workload is.

RB Carlos Hyde, Jacksonville Jaguars

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With James Robinson going down to injury, Hyde is the next man up in the Jaguars’ backfield. However, it’s important to note it isn’t clear exactly how serious of an injury Robinson is dealing with, so there’s no guarantee he’ll even be out next week.

Regardless, Hyde touched the ball 15 times (nine rushes, six catches) for 72 yards (32 rushing). If nothing else, a potentially heavy workload makes the veteran a solid option on the waiver wire this week.

RB Derrick Gore, Kansas City Chiefs

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Gore slightly out-performed fellow back Darrell Williams on Sunday night, averaging 4.4 yards per carry to Williams’ 3.8. Gore had 11 carries to Williams’ 13, but he did find the end zone.

For now, it looks like there might be a 50/50 split with Gore and Williams in KC, but that won’t last once Clyde Edwards-Helaire returns, which could be as soon as this week.

Gore is nothing more than a dart-throw flex play this week if Edward-Helaire doesn’t return, but there is some potential for more work in the future if he continues to show out better than Williams and Edwards-Helaire remains out.

WRs Russell Gage and Tajae Sharpe, Atlanta Falcons

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With Calvin Ridley announcing he is stepping away from the game for personal reasons, Gage and Sharpe will have to pick up the slack behind Kyle Pitts.

In Week 8, it was Sharpe who responded, picking up a team-high five catches for 58 yards. Meanwhile, Gage was blanked in his second game back from injury.

We’ve seen Gage thrive before (he had 786 yards and four touchdowns in 2020), so we believe he’s capable of putting up solid production moving forward. We prefer Gage over Sharpe, but both are risky plays right now.

WR Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens

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We suggested Bateman a few weeks back, but he’s still widely available in most formats, partly because the Ravens had a bye last week.

After missing the first five games of the season, Bateman has seen six targets in each of his first two games. In Week 7, he caught three balls for a career-high 80 yards.

This is the week to pickup Bateman, especially if you need a bye-week replacement. The Ravens rookie has a matchup with a Vikings defense surrendering the sixth-most fantasy points per game to receivers.

TE Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers

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Freiermuth has seen 14 targets in his last two games (seven apiece), which is tied for the second-most on the team. In that span, he has 102 yards, and he also found pay dirt for the second time this season in Week 9.

Freiermuth is currently fourth on the Steelers in receiving yards and has the potential to be the No. 3 option in the passing game when the season is all said and one. Right now, he’s the No. 1 tight end in Pittsburgh.

TE Tommy Tremble, Carolina Panthers

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After trading Dan Arnold earlier in the season, Tremble, who is a sensational athlete and someone Carolina has tried to manufacture touches for, has seen a slight uptick in his opportunities.

In Week 8, he saw four targets, tying his career-high. While that isn’t a ton, it is important to note that Tremble is logging consistent snaps, with 34 or more in each of his last three games.

We aren’t starting Tremble right now, so this is more of a look-to-the-future kind of move at a tough position to fill, but stashing him isn’t a bad idea just in case he continues to climb in the Panthers’ offense.