ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – With four games in the rear-view mirror the Denver Broncos' defense is No. 1 in a pile of categories, including total defense, sacks and third-down defense.

They are not No. 1 in points allowed per game (they’re No. 2 at 17.3) and they’re not No. 1 in run defense (they’re No. 8). But one of the league’s deepest defensive units will get a little better Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.

Defensive end Derek Wolfe, suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, has been reinstated and is on track to be in the rotation up front. And the Broncos, already making life difficult for opposing offenses, believe he will crank things up another notch.

“For one, he's Derek Wolfe, one of the best run-stopping players that we have on our team and really in the AFC West,’’ said linebacker Von Miller. “It's a great, big-time player that we're getting back. We’re fixing to have success on our defense when he gets back.”

Wolfe, who called himself a "caged animal" this week, had promised to keep in shape during the suspension and return “better than ever,’’ and he appears to have done so. Wolfe trained with former Broncos guard Chris Kuper and defensive tackle Justin Bannen during his time away, in workouts coordinated by Loren Landow, the director of sports performance director at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic.

Landow annually works with players preparing for the NFL draft and scouting combine as well as in the offseason with many players from around the league. Wolfe said he “worked hard, trained hard’’ during the suspension.

Broncos coach Gary Kubiak has pronounced Wolfe ready to play Sunday against the Raiders. Though they knew Wolfe would miss the first month of the season, Kubiak elected to keep Wolfe with the starting defense throughout training camp and preseason.

“He's certainly going to help us,’’ said Broncos defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. “The guy is a really good football player.’’

Wolfe will likely get the bulk of his work, at least initially, on early downs. The Raiders haven’t run the ball that often – they’re 28th in the league in rushing attempts at 21.8 per game – but when they do run they get 4.4 yards per carry, tied for third in the league.

The two best running backs the Broncos have faced thus far, Kansas City’s Jamaal Charles and Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson, authored two of the longest plays they have surrendered this season. Charles had a 34-yard touchdown run in Week 2, and this past Sunday Peterson went 48 yards for a touchdown on a fourth-and-1 play.

On their opponents’ other 89 rushing attempts – taking the two touchdowns out of the equation – the Broncos have surrendered just 3.13 yards per rushing attempt. And they believe Wolfe will only help that number.

“To have that run presence, we've already been good in the run and we've already been good on defense, just to get one of our stars back is great to get him back,’’ Miller said. “We should see some success in some of the stuff that we've been doing. We've already had a lot of success. It's just going to be plus, plus.’’

“It’s going to help greatly,’’ said safety T.J. Ward. “ … We all know how good Derek is and what he does for this defense.’’