Reche Caldwell, left, hauls in a pass during training camp earlier this month. Caldwell was the team’s top regular-season receiver last year, but additions such as Randy Moss, Donte Stallworth and Wes Welker could change that this season.

FOXBORO — There are 12 receivers on the Patriots roster.

Only six are expected to make the team.

And last year’s leading regular-season receiver Reche Caldwell (61 catches, 760 yards, 4 touchdowns), and postseason leading receiver Jabar Gaffney (21 catches, 244 yards, 2 touchdowns), aren’t even the top three candidates.

That’s because New England went out and signed five-time Pro Bowl selection Randy Moss, Donte Stallworth, who has over 3,500 receiving yards and 28 touchdown catches in five seasons, and Wes Welker (68 catches, 687 yards, 1 touchdown), the Miami Dolphins top receiver from last year.

But that doesn’t mean they won’t be on the team on Sept. 1, the last day of cuts. They know the Patriots system and that goes a long way in deciding who to keep and who to cut, head coach Bill Belichick said.

“It’s definitely an advantage that they’ve played in the system and worked here with Tom (Brady) and have gone through some of the game adjustments and specific adjustments,” Belichick said. “We had 120-something practices last year. We had 23 games. Somebody that didn’t have all those practices and all those games, there is no way they could go through all those situations and all of the things those players went through, not that Gaffney was here for the whole year, but he was for a significant portion of it.

“Sure, I definitely think it’s an advantage [for them],” Belichick added. “I think that Reche had a really good offseason. He had a better offseason than he had last year. He was able to do more, and we’re starting at a much higher point. Gaff had a great offseason ... It’s a competitive position. We have a long way to go. We’ll see what happens.”

Stallworth began the season on the physically unable to perform list and Gaffney took full advantage by becoming a human highlight reel during training camp, boosting his stock. Now he seems like a lock to make the team although he only has three catches for 21 yards this preseason.

Welker has done an excellent job in the slot, and Stallworth is expected to be the Patriots other starting receiver. In addition, there should be a spot for Troy Brown once he returns from the PUP list. So it appears that Caldwell might be fighting just to make the team with offseason acquisition Kelley Washington (Cincinnati Bengals).

Second-year players Bam Childress, Kelvin Kight, and Chad Jackson, and free-agent signees C.J. Jones and Chris Dunlap are the long shots to make the team but stranger things have happened in football.

Moss hasn’t practiced since the eighth day of training camp and has yet to play in an exhibition game, but there is no doubting his talent. All of his teammates were praising him during training camp prior to his injury.

“He’s a very, very smart football player, one of those guys who can see things out on the field and react without you really having to tell him, and he’s very much like a quarterback in that sense,” quarterback Tom Brady said earlier this year. “One of Randy’s strengths is that he tracks the ball in the air very well. Everything looks effortless down the field, and I think he judges the height of the ball a lot like a center fielder. He knows when to put his hands out, knows not to do it too early because that really triggers the defensive back to put his hands up, so that’s a big strength of his game. I hope I can throw it as far as he can run.”

Because Moss has been out so long, the timing between him and Brady might suffer when the regular season starts. Stallworth knows all about that. He missed the Patriots’ first exhibition game. In the second outing, Brady threw two interceptions while trying to get the ball to Stallworth. Stallworth took the blame for both picks.

“The first one I slipped on and the second one was my fault, too,” Stallworth said.

Welker has been impressive catching passes but he has yet to break out on a punt return. Welker (1 touchdown), Stallworth, and Washington (1 touchdown) are all tied for the most receiving yards this preseason for a receiver with 60 yards each.

Caldwell has helped his cause by catching four passes for 50 yards so far this preseason, and Childress has three catches for 43 yards.

Dunlap, Kight, and Jones each only have one catch.

Since everyone isn’t getting the same opportunity to make plays on offense, some receivers, such as Jones, Washington, and Childress, for instance, are showing versatility to make the team by participating on the Patriots special teams. Jones is averaging 32.8 yards per kickoff return (4 for 131 yards) and that can’t be overlooked.

Childress is averaging 28.0 yards per kickoff return (3 for 84), and Washington participates on the Patriots punt, kickoff, and punt return teams.

Belichick said that participating in the kicking game is an excellent way to make the team, so don’t count them out just yet.

“You can look at our roster in the last few years, or even since I’ve been here, and find plenty of players on the 53-man roster who had a significant amount of playing time in the kicking game and had very little offensively or defensively,” Belichick said.

“There’s no question that there is a place for those players on our roster and they’re important players to us. Some players give us offensive and defensive depth and fewer plays in the kicking game. Other players give us a lot of plays in the kicking game and fewer plays as depth on offense and defense. Some guys are more balanced. When you put your roster together, you have to find a way to get all of those bases covered. There’s no question that special teams is a big factor in the makeup of your team and in some roster decisions. No doubt about it.”

The Patriots must reduce their 80-man roster to 75 tomorrow at 4 p.m.

roblee@projo.com