There is hardly a link between a mod being popular and being good. As a prime example: judo is significantly more popular than judofrac. Would that make judo a better fit for ranked play? Hell no. A lot of good mods are currently "dead", and if anything it's a good thing to put these mods back in rotation to freshen up the game a bit.

Another thing to mention is that ranked season shouldn't just be about who's best at 3 most popular mods. It should also reflect your ability to adapt and learn new skills. You being unable to get out of your comfort zone is not a fault of the game.