"I have a large part of the perimeter of my yard covered in shade. Some

quite dense. Id like to seed these areas with something but I'm
thinking that the amount of leaves falling here in Tennessee right now
are going to smother any growth this time of the year. "

That's one reason why areas that are shaded are generally better suited
to spring seeding. The other is than in the spring, the amount of
light these areas receive is much higher when the temps are favorable
to germination, because the trees have no leaves. If you've seeded it
already, to keep it going, you'll have to make sure you keep after the
falling leaves a couple times a week with a blower.